Tea Stains and Babysitting
by Treecko Girl
Summary: Amelia Jones gets a new babysitter - the Englishman Arthur. She doesn't know what to expect, but very soon, a close friendship blossoms between the two. fem!America
1. Summer 1: Introduction

**I should be concentrating on 'The German Boy' but I've got a somewhat bad case of writer's block on that story right now (I haven't even got to the end of chapter two! How shameful!.). So, what do I do with writer's block? I write something completely different! Yay! So, here's a new story with England and fem!America. Do review and tell me what you think. Thanks!**

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><p>It was summer - the season that screams life and vitality. It is the season in which many live in anticipation of and wait the whole year for. The one in which many ignore the other seasons for. It was a season which evoked the highest feelings in many people.<p>

Fifteen year-old Amelia Jones was no different. She loved summer and adored the sun that magically emerged with it. The yellow sun had powers it never revealed in other seasons. Amelia loved walking under the bright glow. It evoked happiness within her, even when she was feeling darker than a shadow.

Despite the happiness she felt, Amelia also had a reason to feel down during the summer. Her parents both ran a beach resort business which, naturally, was busiest during the summer. They were away from home the most at this time. While Amelia had grown somewhat used to her parents' absence, it still created a pang in her heart. Deep down, she had feelings of loneliness. Her school friends were all either away or on holiday during summer. She had only herself and the huge house she and her family lived in. It was a large country house with a thin layer of ivy coating the left side. This was where Amelia's room was. The outside of the window was lined with the green crawler. Amelia liked it – it gave her room character, especially when the orange-tinted evening sun danced with the shapes of the leaves. The inflated shadows on her carpet were always fun to look at.

When her parents were away on business, Amelia would be looked after by either her grandparents or another relative. They would allow her to do as she pleased and rarely spent any one-on-one time with her. So, even with a babysitter, Amelia was alone.

She had every reason to believe that this summer would be no different; playing in her room alone, walking in the countryside alone, riding the horses alone. She couldn't have guessed that this summer would introduce something into her life which would become so precious to her.

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><p>'Amelia, we're heading out tomorrow,' Mrs Jones said. She patted her daughter on her head.<p>

''Kay, Mom,' Amelia replied with a smile. 'Who's gonna be watching me?'

'Oh, yes, we've hired a new babysitter for you, sweetie,' she said.

'Huh? You did?'

'Yes, he's looking for a summer job right now, so I thought it would be good for him. It's Arthur, you know, the son of the Kirkland family?'

Amelia thought. The Kirkland family name sounded familiar, but the name Arthur didn't. 'Who is he? What age is he?'

'He's eighteen, honey, and he's very responsible. He's such a polite boy, too. I think you've only seen him once at a dinner party when you were about six.' Mrs Jones proceeded to check her hair in the mirror. 'The Kirkland family have been business partners of our family for years. I wish you could have spent more time with Arthur. You would like him, and perhaps learn a few manners from him.'

'Mom!' Amelia squeaked. She hated it when her parents commented on her 'lack of manners'.

Her mother laughed. 'Well, anyway, I want you to be on your best behaviour while he's looking after you. He'll be staying over, and I will be back in a few days to check up on things.'

'Sure, Mom,' Amelia said with no real enthusiasm.

Amelia got dressed for bed and brushed her teeth. While studying her face in the mirror, white foam dripping from the corners of her mouth, Amelia thought about Arthur. She couldn't remember his face. Then again, it had been years since her mother claimed they last saw each other. He was an adult now, so probably looked completely different. It annoyed her slightly that her parents still couldn't trust her enough to leave her home alone, but when she thought about it further, she had seen the movies and was thankful in a sense.

The brushing of her teeth done, Amelia crawled into her bed. The mattress was new, and almost too high for her. It was comfortable, though, which is what counted. Snuggling under the blankets, Amelia felt a stab of nerves. She was going to be alone with a stranger. What if he wasn't nice? What if he was strict and never let her play outside? What if he hit her? Amelia gasped and hid under the covers as if the thoughts would be chased away. She swallowed roughly.

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><p>'He should be here any minute, I told him two o'clock,' Amelia's father said. He turned to his daughter. 'Now, Amelia, you behave for Arthur. He's a good boy who doesn't deserve any trouble. Your mother will be home in a few days to check up on you.'<p>

Amelia nodded wordlessly. She played with the sleeve of her shirt. It was a nervous habit that she gained from very early years. The ends of all her sleeves were ever-so-slightly lighter in colour due to her habit.

Her father noticed. 'Hey, Amelia, don't be nervous. Arthur will be very nice, honestly. Besides, if there are any problems, all you need to do is pick up the phone.'

She nodded. 'Thanks, Dad.'

As he ruffled his daughter's hair playfully, the doorbell sounded.

'Dear, could you get that?' Mrs Jones's voice called from the kitchen.

Her father made his way to the door, and Amelia leaned back in the tall wooden chair in the hallway. She played with her sleeve more vigorously.

'Ah, Arthur, great to see you,' Mr Jones said happily. Amelia could almost hear the tough yet friendly handshake typical of her father.

'Yes, and you sir,' came the reply. Amelia was shocked to hear an English accent. She peeked over using only the corner of her eyes. She could only see her father's back.

'Please, come in.'

As her father guided the guest into the hall, Amelia snapped her eyes back to stare ahead. She swallowed a lump discretely and turned to face the two. Arthur was a young man not quite as tall as Amelia's father (he was six foot). He was skinny, but not runt-like, and had pale skin like hers. He had light, somewhat messy blonde hair and green eyes. The most prominent things about him, though, were the thick eyebrows he possessed. She stared at them with interest, before realising that he was looking directly at her. She made a noise of shock in the back of her throat before extending her hand to the man.

'Ah, h-hello. My name is Amelia,' she said as calmly as she could.

'Amelia. It's lovely to meet you. I'm Arthur,' he replied brightly, taking a gentle hold of her hand and shaking it.

'Arthur, I've told Amelia to be on her best behaviour, but she can be lively,' Mr Jones said.

'D-Dad…!' Amelia squeaked.

Arthur laughed heartily. 'That's Ok. It's better to be lively than sitting around all day.' He turned to Amelia. 'Don't you agree?'

Amelia felt her face heat up slightly out of embarrassment. 'Y-Yes. See, Dad? I told you it wasn't a bad thing.'

'Oh, Arthur, it is you,' Mrs Jones said. She walked in from the kitchen and planted a kiss on both the young man's cheeks. 'How are you?'

'I'm fine, Mrs Jones,' he replied. 'I trust you're doing well.'

'Never better. Ah, see Amelia, I told you he was polite.'

Amelia's skin flared again. She cleared her throat. 'Y-yes, Mom.'

'Well, I'm glad you made it here Ok. The spare room has been made up for you. Amelia will show you the way.' Her mother opened her handbag and brought out keys. 'Here you go. I made a spare set of house keys for you.'

'Ah, thank you, Mrs Jones,' Arthur said. It was only then did Amelia notice he was carrying a small suitcase. 'I promise I'll take good care of both Amelia and the house.'

Amelia's mother went over general housekeeping with Arthur and gave him a list of contact phone numbers to use in an emergency. She told him the times the cleaner and gardener were due. Amelia wasn't sure if Arthur was listening by the end of it. His face was focused, but there was no way anyone could have endured her mother's rambling.

When her parents finally left after a round of hugging and kissing their daughter, Amelia and Arthur were alone. Amelia played with the sleeve of her shirt again.

'Well, Amelia, could you show me to my room so I can rid myself of this case?' Arthur asked. His voice was so polite.

'Ah! Yes, Arthur,' she said. 'It's just up here.'

She guided him up the spiral staircase and led him down a long corridor. They walked in silence, for Amelia couldn't think of anything to say. She felt embarrassed, so she played with her sleeve.

'If I may say so, this house is magnificent,' Arthur said.

Amelia turned to him, happy he had spoken. 'I think so, too. Though, I have to admit, it's nearly too big. It's only me and my parents, so what do they need so much space for?'

Arthur chuckled. 'Perhaps they need it for their energetic daughter.'

Amelia scowled and turned away, her face flushed. When she realised what she had done, she squeaked in alarm. 'Oh! Ah…'

Arthur continued to chuckle. He didn't seem like a bad sort, Amelia thought. He seemed quite nice.

'Here we are,' Amelia said. She opened the door. 'This is your room.'

It was a fairly big, green-themed room. It had everything one needed – a chest of drawers, a wardrobe and a dressing table. All the furniture was in dark wood, mixing nicely with the green wallpaper and green bed covers. There was an en suite bathroom, as well.

'This is too much,' Arthur said, evidently dazed. 'It's like a five star hotel.'

Amelia could only laugh at his reaction. 'I'm happy you like it. Do you need help unpacking?'

'Oh, I haven't much with me,' he assured her. 'I'll only be a minute while I hang my shirts and things up. Say, once I finish, why don't we do something together?'

'Eh?' Amelia was confused. This guy was actually suggesting spending time with her. None of her normal babysitters would spend time with her unless she asked them specifically. 'L-like what?'

'Well, whatever you want,' Arthur said as he hung up his shirts in the wardrobe. The door made a high-pitched squeal as it was opened – not having been used in a while. 'We could play video games or a sport you like. We could even prepare dinner if you wish. Are you hungry?'

'Ah, no I'm not hungry at the moment,' she said sheepishly. Amelia wasn't entirely sure what she wanted to do. Given the options, she had lots she wanted to do, but it was so unexpected that Arthur was offering his company. 'We could, um…' she paused in thought, and then an idea hit her. 'Well, why don't we just… talk and stuff?'

'Hhm?' Arthur peered at her from behind the wardrobe door. His think eyebrows raised in question. 'Just talk?'

'Ah, yeah…! I mean, I would love to get to know you, since we're going to be spending more time together,' she said. Amelia tugged at her shirt sleeve. 'Well, that is, if you're cool with it.'

'Ah ha! Of course!' Arthur assured her, closing the door and putting his suitcase to the corner of the room. 'I would love to get to know you too, Amelia.'

The young girl couldn't help but beam. They made their way to the front living room, where they sat and struck up a simple conversation, rapidly leading to many more. Amelia learned that Arthur had attended a private school in England, his homeland, for many years before returning here. He admitted he wasn't very good at cooking despite the fact both of his parents were avid cooks. He also loved embroidery, a fact which Amelia found both fascinating and amusing. Amelia told him more about herself. She also attended a private school a few miles down the road, and because she lived so close to it, she got to come home at the end of the day unlike the many pupils who had to board. She was thankful she didn't have to. Arthur deducted rather quickly from what Amelia told him that she was a tomboy, to which Amelia agreed.

Amelia grew to like Arthur very much. He was polite, but had a fun side to him.

'My, we've been talking for hours,' Arthur noted. 'You must be getting hungry by now.'

'Yeah,' Amelia agreed. 'I am… But didn't you say you can't cook.'

Arthur blushed. 'Well, yes. But that's why I want you to help me.'

Amelia sniggered. 'I can't cook either, dude.'

'Then we're buggered,' Arthur said plainly, folding his arms in thought. 'I don't want to poison you.'

'That wouldn't be good on your first day of the job,' laughed Amelia. She got up and headed for the kitchen, Arthur in pursuit. She opened the freezer. 'Ah! How about these?'

Amelia picked out two boxes of ready-made lasagne. 'Simple and quick to make. Just throw it in the microwave.'

'Brilliant!' Arthur exclaimed. 'Even we can't screw that up.'

They laughed as Amelia placed the first meal in the microwave, being sure to read the instructions carefully. As they waited, Arthur set the table. Amelia began to play with her sleeve. She felt a lot better around Arthur after having to get to know him, but nerves still fluttered around inside her. She believed it to be the nerves of cooking.

Both lasagnes were cooked successfully, and Amelia placed them on plates to serve. Arthur and Amelia sat down opposite each other at the table to eat. With the first bite, Arthur said enthusiastically, 'This is delicious! Well done, Amelia!'

The young girl laughed. She agreed it tasted good. 'Yeah! You know, my parents have always told me I have no taste in food. I like simple, microwave dinners.'

'Really? My parents tell me the exact same thing. Why cook a big, fancy meal when you can make something delicious with just a microwave?'

Amelia's heart stammered. She smiled uncontrollably at the Englishman. 'I'm so happy someone agrees with me on that. Nobody ever has.'

'It's the same with me,' Arthur said, taking another bite. He winked at her with the fork still in his mouth. He took it out and swallowed the food. 'Oh Amelia, may I say, you seem to play with your sleeves a lot. You don't feel nervous, by any chance, do you?'

Amelia jolted in her seat. She looked to the food, stabbing it with her fork. 'Well, yeah… Um, I've done it for a long time. I guess it is sort of a habit.'

'A nervous habit, if you don't mind me asking?'

Amelia nodded and took a bite of her food.

Arthur chuckled. 'Well, I hope I'm not making you too nervous. Tell me if I am, won't you. I'd hate to think you felt uneasy around me.'

'It's not that! Honestly! It's just something I do. You know, I wasn't sure what you'd be like or anything. I was nervous you'd be mean and scary. But you're not, you're really nice!' Amelia blushed.

'Thank you,' he said gently. 'I hope we can become friends.'

'Me, too,' agreed Amelia. 'I'm sure we'll become good friends!'

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><p><strong>What do you think? I would love to read reviews of your opinions! I'm not sure when the next chapter will be up, but I'll do my best! I like making fem!Nations. Yet, I love yaoi… Strange…<strong>


	2. Summer 2: Coco and Lily

**Here's chapter two! I'm glad I get to continue with this story, because I really want to write more of it! Enjoy!**

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><p>Night settled upon the Jones household. The insects came alive, awakened by the silver moonlight. The crickets whistled and the frogs sang. Amelia loved the location in which her house was situated. It was surrounded by the comfort of the trees, the shadows forming shapes which danced and swayed with the changing breezes. She adored walking among nature's splendour, especially with a gentle zephyr through her hair.<p>

Amelia stretched, tired. She and Arthur had spent the day simply talking and getting to know each other. Amelia had also shown him around the house to help him get to grips with his bearings. She enjoyed it. Arthur really was a gentleman. His speech was polite and his mannerisms were graceful. He constantly expressed his amazement at the 'beauty of the house'. Amelia always giggled when she saw his wide green eyes take it in.

'Man, it's getting late,' Amelia said. Arthur was pouring cool water into the kettle. Amelia believed it was to make tea for himself. 'I'm beat.'

'Me, too,' laughed Arthur, turning the kettle on. 'It's been a busy day.'

'Well, I'm off to bed. Goodnight, Arthur,' she said.

'Ah, Amelia, wait,' he started. The kettle had nearly boiled, and the steam was raging to the ceiling. 'Here, do you like Coco?'

'Huh?' Amelia had not expected that. Arthur was smiling to her as he turned the kettle off and retrieved two mugs. 'Y-Yeah.'

'Then why don't we have some? It'll help you sleep,' he said cheerfully.'

Amelia blushed. She looked to the floor and played with her sleeve. 'S-sure. That sounds great.'

Arthur took a jar of drinking chocolate from the cupboard and mixed it with the water, adding a generous helping of milk. He added cream and grated dark chocolate over the top. The drink was complete, the kitchen full of the seductive smell of chocolate.

'Here you go,' Arthur said, setting a mug in front of Amelia. 'Please enjoy.'

He sat opposite her, blowing gently on his own drink. He took a sip, and when he took the mug from his mouth, there was a smear of cream on his upper lip. Amelia laughed.

'What's wrong?' he asked.

'You've got cream on your mouth, dude!' she laughed, trying her best to stop.

'Ah!' he started, wiping it away. His shoulders vibrated with suppressed chuckles. 'Thank you for telling me.'

'I couldn't have kept it in,' she sniggered. 'I probably would have burst out laughing with a mouth full of Coco!'

She took a drink after settling down, making sure she didn't have a white moustache when she took the mug away. It was delicious. The chocolate and the cream mixed perfectly to create a sweet yet calm sensation down Amelia's throat. It was helping to settle her.

'Wow, Arthur, this is great,' Amelia said in awe. She stared into the mug as if the secret to the taste would reveal itself like words of an open book. 'You say you can't cook? You're lying.'

Arthur chuckled, taking another drink. 'Thank you. I'll admit, when it comes to making drinks, I'm much better.'

'Cool,' she breathed. 'Can you mix alcoholic drinks?'

Arthur cast a half-serious, half-amused look to Amelia. 'Yes I can. But I can assure you, I'll not mix any for you. You're too young.'

Amelia feigned shock, placing her hand to her heart. 'I wasn't even thinking that!'

They shared a laugh and finished their Coco. They made their way up the stairs.

'Well, goodnight Amelia,' Arthur said. 'If you need me at any point, don't hesitate to come and get me. You know where my room is.'

'Of course!' Amelia chimed. She smiled to her babysitter. 'Thanks for being so nice, Arthur.'

Arthur looked genuinely surprised. 'Oh, well, I'm glad you think that about me.'

Amelia stared at Arthur. She took in his features. His green eyes, his thick eyebrows, his messy light blonde hair. He wore a white shirt that was open at the collar and black trousers. He looked every bit the English gentleman.

The young girl felt an impulse throb through her body. She was taken aback by it, not understanding. For a split second, Amelia had what felt like the urge to lunge forward. She flinched, breathing in. She cleared her throat and looked to her babysitter. 'Night, Arthur!'

Her voice cracked slightly with the confusion embedded in her. She hoped he wouldn't notice.

Arthur simply smiled to her warmly, which was a relief. 'Goodnight, Amelia.'

The young girl entered her room after a wave. She got ready in her en-suite and climbed into bed, a smile sitting comfortably on her lips.

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><p>Amelia awoke to a dull morning. It was a shame, for the previous evening had been so promising. The sunset was clear and cast a pink light over the world. She had thought with rooted certainty that the next day would bring clear skies and bright sun.<p>

She got up and got dressed with little encouragement from the grey sky which threatened to cast a heavy downpour upon the house. Amelia cursed on more than one occasion to the sky. She sighed harshly, tying her hair back in a ponytail. Her fair hair only came to her shoulders, so the ponytail wasn't particularly long.

She made her way to the kitchen. 'Man, what a rotten day this looks to be.'

'Oh dear, is it something I did?'

Amelia jumped with a yelp. 'Oh crap! Arthur don't scare me like that!'

The Englishman was sitting in a kitchen chair drinking a mug of tea. He knitted his eyebrows. 'Amelia! Don't swear like that. You're a young lady.'

'Pfft! I'm not a lady,' she retorted, opening the cupboard to search for something for breakfast. She then remembered what she had yet to say to Arthur, and her stomach knotted in regret. 'Ah! I mean, g-good morning!'

An unoffended chuckle erased most of her guilt. 'Good morning. What would you like for breakfast, young lady?'

Amelia knew he was only saying those two words to annoy her, so she only responded with a scowling smile. 'I'll just have cereal. Have you eaten?'

'Ah, yes. I had a couple of scones just there now,' he said, returning to his tea.

'We have scones?' She didn't expect to have something so traditionally English in the house. She began to inspect the other cupboards. 'Where?'

'Third one across,' Arthur said. 'Your parents informed me that they bought them especially for me, since they're my favourite. That was very kind of them.'

Amelia laughed and located them. 'Oh, I see! Well, I'll have cereal, then.'

'Oh! No! Please have a scone or two! Don't worry!' Arthur exclaimed, getting out of his seat. He took the packet of scones from the cupboard. He took two out and cut them in half. 'Would you like them heated?'

'Ah… S-sure…'

Arthur heated them for a number of seconds in the microwave. He retrieved butter from the fridge and spread it over the pastries. Beckoning for Amelia to sit, he set the plate on the table.

'Thanks, Arthur,' Amelia said quietly. She sat down and took her first bite. They were delicious. She loved how the softness mixed with the butter. 'These are really tasty.'

His green eyes narrowed happily with his smile. 'I'm so glad you think so.'

Breakfast was as warm as the scones.

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><p>'These horses are really magnificent,' Arthur said as he ran his hand along the creature's neck. The horse whinnied in a happy response.<p>

'That one's called True Silver,' Amelia said brightly, checking the horse's water trough. 'He's my father's favourite. Both my parents love horses, and they breed them. There are staff who come over later in the day to help take care of them and whatnot.'

'I see. How about you? Do you like horses?' Arthur asked.

'Yeah, they're beautiful, but I'm not as in to them as my parents,' Amelia replied, tugging at her sleeve. She led Arthur out of the stable. 'Wanna go see Lily?'

'Lily?'

'Ah, Lily's a foal. She's kinda my own horse. She's such a cutie!' Amelia sang. 'Here's her barn!'

'Ah, she has a whole barn to herself?' Arthur asked with a chuckle.

'Yeah. No other horse is in there right now. She loves the room, plus, I get to lie back and relax in the straw.

She opened the door, and the energetic foal trotted over to them with a happy whinny.

'Hey, Lily!' Amelia said happily, nuzzling her little brown foal. 'How's my special girl doing?'

'My, she's very cute,' Arthur said, leaning over to get a better look at the foal. 'Hello there, Lily.'

The foal tilted her head at the new person standing before her, but with gentle encouragement from Amelia, she made her way slowly to the Englishman. She sniffed at his hand before allowing him to scratch her. Lily soon allowed Arthur to run his hands along her neck and scratch behind her ears. She grew to like the Englishman as quickly as Amelia did. The young girl smiled at Arthur. He had such a gentle aura, it was no wonder he could make friends so easily.

Arthur's eyes caught Amelia's and he smiled to her. Amelia realised she was staring and quickly turned away, face flaring.

'Uh… I'm gonna lie back in the straw over there. I'm really glad you and Lily are friends. I knew she'd like you!' Amelia said quickly. She scurried to the straw and threw herself back with a rustle. She sighed in content.

She closed her eyes, taking in the gentle scent of straw. Simply lying back and letting her mind wander helped relieve Amelia of stresses and worries. She would come to this barn and just forget everything. Many evenings after school, when homework was plentiful or just difficult and things looked bleak, Amelia felt the pressure float away in the silence of this barn.

Amelia listened to the coos and laughs of Arthur as he played with Lily, the foal whinnying happily. Her hooves would occasionally scrape against the exposed concrete under the hay as she danced around the Englishman. Amelia smiled to herself, and the sounds became gradually fainter as she allowed the darkness of closed lids to seep through her.

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><p>Amelia woke up slowly. Her eyes then darted open quickly when she realised she had been sleeping. She stared at the ceiling and heard the unmistakable pelting sound of rain against the barn roof.<p>

Focusing to her right, she saw Arthur sitting beside her, staring ahead of him. She shot up, her joints cracking with the sudden movement. 'A-Ah! Arthur! Aw, crap! I'm sorry! How long was I asleep for?'

Arthur checked his watch. 'About an hour.'

'Oh! I'm so sorry!' she exclaimed, her face beginning to heat up. 'Arthur you should have woken me!'

'I didn't wish to disturb you,' he said gently, looking at her. 'You looked so comfortable.'

'But you must have been bored…!' Amelia said with a guilt-ridden voice. She pinched her sleeve, her face still flaring. 'I'm sorry…'

'Don't be sorry,' Arthur insisted. He smiled to Amelia. 'I was playing with Lily here for ages. It was only when I addressed you did I actually discover you were asleep. I'm quite content sitting here listening to the rain. It's peaceful.'

Lily walked up to Amelia and nuzzled her owner's arm. Amelia patted the foal on the head affectionately. 'It is peaceful in here, isn't it?'

Arthur nodded. 'Yeah.'

'Arthur?'

'Hhm?'

'Thanks for being so cool about it,' Amelia said, burying her face in Lily's neck, embarrassed at what she was saying.

'It's no big deal, Amelia,' Arthur laughed, waving his hand.

'But it is!' she exclaimed. Emotion welled up inside her, and she clutched her chest. She took two breaths to steady herself.

Arthur cocked his head and leaned over slightly. 'Amelia?'

'It's just… It's just nobody really… puts up with me… All my other babysitters, mostly relatives, just let me get on with whatever the hell I want as long as it's out of their hair.' Amelia felt embarrassed at spilling her guts to Arthur, she was afraid she was just boring him or making him angry. However, like a string was pulling the words out of her mouth, she continued. 'You're the first person who actually spends time with me. I don't know whether it's because you want to or because you're getting paid for it, but-'

'Amelia.'

She stopped, her remaining words frozen in her throat.

'I am spending time with you because I want to. I could very easily just sit back and watch television. I would still be getting paid because I'm here looking after you. Please understand that I want to get to know you, Amelia. You're a great person. You're very unique and interesting.' Arthur spoke without a flaw tilting his words. He smiled to Amelia, making them more genuine.

Amelia smiled back, but with sadness echoing on her features. She sniffed and wiped her eyes frantically. 'Ah… I'm so embarrassed…'

Arthur chuckled, pulling out a tissue from his pocket. He handed it to Amelia. The skin of their hands touched for a split second as he gave the tissue to her. Amelia's heart stuttered, though she did not know why.

'Thank you,' she breathed, wiping her eyes. Lily nuzzled her again. Amelia laughed, nuzzling her back.

'Lily wants you to feel better,' Arthur said. 'And so do I. I want you to know you can come to me to talk about anything that's bothering you. I want to be your friend as well as your babysitter. We can be friends, can't we?'

Amelia started. 'O-Of course! I'd love that!'

'I'm so happy,' Arthur said. 'That's really great.'

They sat in silence, smiling to each other. Then Arthur looked to the ceiling. He sighed, and Amelia only became aware again of the rain outside.

'Oh my,' Arthur sighed. 'Shall we wait out the rain? It's really coming down.'

Amelia nodded. 'It's much more comfortable in here, isn't it?'

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading! I'll try to get chapter three up soon! Ok, question. Should I write a chapter from Arthur's point of view? Just a thought, you can say no! ^.^ Please review! I want to hear from you all!<strong>

**P.S. I use the word 'trousers' because I'm British. *laugh* Just in case you're wondering. **


	3. Summer 3: Movie and Misunderstanding

**Oh my… I'm quite slow at updating, aren't I? I'm sorry! Well, here's chapter three anyway! ^.^ For anyone who is also reading 'The German Boy', I am working on chapter three, but it may be another while before I post anything up. I do hope you will bear with me! Thank you so much!**

**I would also like to say that I have received many lovely reviews from readers, and they brighten up my day! Honestly, without you guys, I would not keep posting! Thank you all so much!**

**Please enjoy!**

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><p>'<em>And you're eating well?' <em>

'Yeah, Mom,' Amelia said. 'Don't worry about me!'

Amelia's mother had called to check on her daughter. She was arriving back to the house the next day and had called every night since she left. She was a mother who worried a lot.

'_How are you and Arthur getting along?'_

'Great,' Amelia confirmed, a smile rising to her features. 'Arthur's a cool guy! I'm really happy to have him here.'

_'Oh, good! I'm so glad you like him, honey! He is a nice boy, isn't he?'_

Amelia's smile widened slightly. She played with the phone cord. 'Yeah, he's a lot of fun.'

_'Well, that's great, honey! I gotta go! Love you, and I'll see you tomorrow! Bye bye!'_

'Bye, Mom,' Amelia replied, setting the phone down. She cracked her knuckles and sighed.

Arthur entered the hall. 'Ah, was that your mother?'

'Yeah. She's coming back to check up on things tomorrow,' Amelia replied. She tugged her sleeve. 'She worries too much.'

'That's what mothers do. I remember when I was in boarding school, for the first month my mother called me three times a day,' Arthur laughed.

'Ah ha, really?' Amelia caught the sight of her reflection in the hall mirror. It was a big, silver-rimmed mirror that her mother had received for her birthday one year. She loved the mirror. Amelia saw her wavy hair just touching her shoulders. She met her own eyes and felt a twinge of worry strike her heart.

'Hhm? Amelia, are you alright?' Arthur asked. 'You look worried.'

Amelia snapped her attention back to Arthur. 'Um! N-no! I'm fine, dude!'

Arthur tilted his head, not convinced. 'Are you sure?'

'Yeah! Well, I think I'll go watch a movie! I'll be in my room if you need me,' Amelia trotted up the stairs, not looking back to Arthur.

When she arrived in her room, Amelia exhaled with a soft breath. She remembered her reflection. The feeling of worry that stabbed her heart when she saw herself made her clench her fists and tighten her jaw. Amelia closed her eyes, wondering if Arthur thought she was pretty.

A blush crept onto her face, and she yelped in defiance of her thoughts. She dug her fingers into her hair, feeling the embarrassment and frustration bubble in her stomach. What did it matter what he thought of her physical appearance? Amelia shook her head and proceeded to look for a movie she wanted to watch.

Amelia rummaged through her movie drawer, pulling out many horror films. She was in the mood to see one of those, so looked for the scariest one she could find. She thought back over her previous viewings, remembering one that scared her so much when she was twelve that she refused to watch it again. She found it, dusty and abandoned, at the bottom of the pile.

'Ah ha! I remember you vaguely,' she muttered to the movie cover, which depicted a girl with bloodied hands holding a knife. Amelia could only remember brief scenes, and decided there was little chance it could spook her in the same way – after all, she was more mature now. 'Prepare to be embarrassed, movie, as you epically fail to scare me, yo!'

After placing the DVD in the player and closing the curtains to black out the light-flooded room, Amelia sat on the giant bean bag at the foot of her bed. She curled her legs up to her chest and took in a deep breath. Horror movies always made her nervous, yet she was inexplicitly drawn to them like a moth to a flame. However, even when Amelia was given another chance after being burned, she failed to learn and flew back for more.

Pressing the play button, she curled herself tighter into an upright ball on the bean bag and narrowed her eyes as if awaiting a physical hit. The movie started and she watched.

* * *

><p>Amelia's face was pale and her body was shaking. The movie was frightening – knives, wounds, death – she squeezed her eyes shut with every sudden movement behind the screen. She whimpered, yet she wanted to watch more. An hour into the film, Amelia had forgotten about everything else in the world.<p>

There was a very sudden and frightening moment in the film, and Amelia yelled out in fear. She buried her face in her hands.

A few seconds later, there were three heavy and rapid knocks to Amelia's door. She squeaked in fear.

'Amelia? Amelia are you Ok?' The familiar voice of her babysitter calmed her nerves only for a second, as another brutal scene appeared on the screen. Amelia shrieked. Arthur's voice sounded again, this time with a very determined tone. 'Right! I'm coming in!'

The door burst open and Amelia shrieked again. She buried her head in her arms and folded them around her knees. She whimpered incoherently to Arthur, who she could sense was moving beside her.

'What the bloody hell are you watching?' he asked. 'This looks horrible! I'll turn it off. Where's the remote?'

'No!' shouted Amelia, bringing herself out of her feeble position and grabbing Arthur's wrist. 'I wanna watch it to get used to the violence!'

'How on Earth can you get used to it when you're shrieking in fear and avoiding even looking at the television?' Arthur demanded to know. The eerie silver light from the screen reflected from his concerned yet authoritative green eyes.

'Please let me watch it!' Amelia begged, trying to look at the scene without flinching. 'I'm tough and I'll watch it to the end!'

'And your parents allow you to watch these kinds of movies? Hhm?' he folded his arms in question.

'Yup! I've got a whole drawer full of 'em!' she said proudly, mimicking his action.

Arthur's eyes widened. 'I see. You'll have nightmares, Amelia.'

'No dude! I'm tough!' she announced with as big a voice as she could summon.

Arthur shook his head. Amelia saw his eyes glance to the remote before he moved. She lunged forward and grabbed his wrist, pulling him back to land with a light thud on the bean bag with her. It was more than big enough for the two of them.

Arthur placed his hand to his head, apparently admitting defeat. Amelia smirked and reached over to push the remote out of reach. When she sat back, another frightening scene appeared. Amelia shrieked and buried herself in Arthur's arm. She whimpered and clutched his shirt sleeve. Arthur did not move.

'I'm tough!' Amelia murmured into his arm.

'You're a silly girl,' he replied.

For the rest of the movie, Amelia kept a grip on Arthur's sleeve, ducking into its safety with a squeak when another near-unbearable scene appeared. Arthur did not move for the remainder of the movie. Amelia wondered for a brief second if he was paralyzed with fear.

It ended after an eternity later, and Amelia released her grip on Arthur's arm. She sighed in relief, but upon remembering Arthur was beside her, she cleared her throat. 'Ah! That was scary, but I'm tough and I watched it all the way through!'

Arthur stood up wordlessly. He adjusted his shirt collar and opened the nearest curtains.

The natural light stung Amelia's eyes. She yelped as she shielded them with her hands. 'Hey! Not cool, Arthur!'

Arthur did not speak as he opened the other curtains. The sunlight bathed the room in a gentle vibrancy. Amelia's eyes quickly adjusted and she looked to Arthur. His green eyes showed little emotion, which caused Amelia's heart to stammer.

'Arthur? You Ok dude?' she asked gently. When he only looked at her with a small smile, she continued to speak. 'Hey! Did the movie scare you that badly?'

Arthur emitted an amused breath from his nose. 'No, I assure you, when I was in boarding school in England the stuff my roommates exposed me to was just as bad. The amount of horror movies I watched would shock you.'

Amelia looked at the Englishman. His smile was different somehow. It lacked the gentlemanly undertone she had come to get used to. She flinched.

'Arthur…' she said with little power. Her voice drifted somewhere far before she could continue. In truth, she didn't know what to say to him. She suddenly had a flash of loneliness. She gasped and stood up.

As Amelia looked to the floor, she thought about why Arthur could be feeling negative. It must have been her actions about the movie. She had dragged him to sit with her through the entire movie when he may have had something else to do. Arthur was a gentleman. He only knocked upon her door to check if she was Ok. He had not expected to have to sit with her. He could not have refused, though. Amelia believed with a strong feeling of guilt that he could not have refused. Amelia had spilled part of her heart to him the other day, and he likely remembered that.

Yet, even with his gentlemanly nature, he was rigid during the movie. Amelia remembered the tenseness in his arm as she clutched, yet selfishly she did not release. Her face flushed in regret.

She closed her eyes, feeling the tip of her nose sting with the threat of tears.

'Arthur,' she whispered. 'I'm sorry.'

She caught the sound of his response, but only sound. She did not manage to capture words, as she dashed out of her room, covering her face. She only burst out crying when she reached the bathroom and locked the door behind her.

Amelia had the impulse to climb into the bath, so she did. With sobs, she curled up in the cool embrace of the ceramic. Amelia closed her eyes and let the waves of tears and sadness roll over her, gradually getting smaller and less imposing.

'Amelia.'

The sound of her name was filtered through the wooden door. She whimpered.

'Amelia.' The sound of his voice seemed to echo slightly. 'Please tell me why you are upset. Is it something I have done? Amelia, I'm so-'

'It's not something you've done,' Amelia interrupted, gripping her sleeve. 'It's what I've done!'

There was a few seconds of silence. 'Amelia, what have you done?'

She remained silent, feeling the cold creep over her. She sighed shakily.

'Amelia,' his voice was level. Unmatched. 'I don't want to talk about this with a door between us. Open up and either come out or let me come in.'

Amelia didn't move for a long time. She shuddered occasionally, origins of which lay with the ceramic bath she was curled up in.

'Amelia.'

She sat up and headed for the door, rapidly wiping remaining tears away. She sniffed and unlocked the door. She opened it. Arthur was standing there, his posture straight and poised. His green eyes were narrowed in what appeared to be a concerned fashion. He opened his mouth to speak, but all he seemed to be able to emit was a sigh.

'Arthur,' she hiccupped. 'I'm sorry, please forgive me.'

'For what?' Even when he had to repeat his question, his voice gave off no frustration.

'I made you watch that movie with me, and now you're pissed at me. I totally get it and I'm sorry for being so selfish.' Her words did not flow out of her mouth, but rather in short, sharp breaths. She hiccupped again.

'…You think that I am angry because of that?' Arthur paused, but only briefly. 'Amelia, firstly: I'm not angry at all, I didn't mind watching the movie, and second: why do you think that in the first place?'

Amelia caught his eyes. She started, but made the best attempt to recompose herself. 'Wh-When you were watching it with me, you-you were so tense, I thought only at the end that you might have been a-angry. You looked so… angry at the end of the f-film. I thought I had d-done something to upset you…!'

Amelia's tears formed again. She could only just make out Arthur standing before her. His voice sounded. 'Oh… I see… I didn't know you felt like that…'

There was a heavy pause. Each molecule in the air seemed to hang in suspension of what was to be said next.

'Amelia,' he said. 'Why I was like that… I, ah… It's because I am your babysitter.'

Amelia looked directly at him in spite of her new tears. 'Huh?'

'I am responsible for you… Oh Lord, this is quite embarrassing… It's like being a teacher… Even if they become friendly with the student, they cannot physically touch the student.'

Amelia's mind heated up, understanding. 'Oh… Oh…! I-I see…'

She understood in that second what he meant. He could not touch her for fear of raising some sort of controversy. He was an adult and she, though she hated to admit it even to herself, was a child. He could face much punishment if the one he was looking after said anything about being 'touched'

'Ah… when you grabbed my arm, I didn't know what to do… I'm so sorry, Amelia,' he said, placing his hand over his face. Amelia could have sworn she caught sight of a blush.

'I understand your worries Arthur,' she said quietly. 'I'm sorry, I put you in that position. You-you should have just told me to get the hell off…'

'And that would have made you happier?' Arthur asked in a disbelieving tone. He folded his arms and leaned against the door frame slightly. 'I'm sorry, Amelia. I should have said something about this earlier. I truly am sorry.'

Amelia shook her head. 'No! No…! I am sorry for misunderstanding…! I just… I just thought you hated me…'

Arthur snorted. 'You are a friend of mine. I do not hate you. I like you. You're fun, and I do not like seeing my friends upset.' He reached into his pocket and pulled out a tissue. 'Here you go.'

Amelia smiled gratefully and took the tissue. She wiped her eyes and blew her nose. 'Thank you, Arthur.' She paused in shaky thought. She smiled. 'You know, you're worried about me reporting you for touching me, yet you don't seem to have any problem swearing in front of me.'

Arthur's features rose with shock. 'What? I… I swear in front of you? When?'

'Well, thre first day you said 'buggered' and I've heard a couple of 'bloody hell's in there somewhere.' She looked to his face, which was ten years younger with the expression. Amelia laughed. 'Oh! Don't look so worried! I don't care about that! I'm not going to tell anyone! I swear! Ah ha!'

Arthur's face slacked a little. He cleared his throat before scratching the back of his head. 'That's funny… Usually I'm really good at holding my tongue around people when I need to…'

Amelia giggled. 'I think it adds a certain charm to you, the swearing.'

They shared a laugh, and Arthur said, 'I'm happy this misunderstanding is over.'

'Me, too.'

With a rumble, the world had been turned, and with another rumble, it had been made right again. Though, Amelia could not deny that her feelings were still unresolved in some form. She knew something was different inside her when she looked to Arthur, but clarity did not arrive for the young girl.

* * *

><p><strong>I'm not sure when the next chapter will be up. I have to go to my new University all this week, so I don't know if I'll have much energy left under the nerves. *laugh* Once again, thank you for reading, and reviews are more than appreciated, honestly! I'll see you soon! Thank you!<strong>


	4. Summer 4: Memories and Tummy Ache

**Thanks for your patience! Here's chapter four! Please enjoy! **

* * *

><p>Amelia had a nightmare. The images of the movie she had watched blended so well with her real, everyday life images. So well, it was even more frightening. Lily became a two-headed, knife wielding monster that thirsted for Amelia's blood. Her mother became a demon hell-bent on beheading her daughter. Her father morphed into a clown-like figure with razors for teeth. Then there was Arthur. His physical appearance did not change. He was the same blond, green eyed man who served as Amelia's babysitter. She called his name, though no sound could be heard. He looked anyway, his eyes gentle. His lips turned in a soft smile. He held out his hand, but before Amelia could take it, the vision before her shattered.<p>

She snapped her eyes open and threw herself up to a sitting position. The dark room was only disturbed by the heavy sound of her breath. Amelia lay back down, punching the pillow into a better shape. She buried her head in it and emitted a quiet, muffled whine. She had the sudden urge to cry. She punched the pillow again, following the action with another whine. She hated waking up in the middle of the night, but she also hated this confusion swirling around inside her. She could physically feel it.

'Ugh… Nngh… Wh-hy?' she moaned.

With another punch to the pillow, the restless night rolled on.

* * *

><p>'Hello, my dear!' Mrs Jones squealed, wrapping her arms around her daughter with the loving force only a mother could give. 'How are you? I've missed you so much!'<p>

'M-Mom!' Amelia squeaked, her face reddening. 'Ah ha! Cut it out!'

'Sorry, dear,' she said, breaking away. 'I'm glad to see you. Arthur's been taking good care of you, I see.'

Arthur, who had been silently standing just behind Amelia, smiled and chuckled. 'I am so glad you think that. I have done my best.'

Amelia turned to him and smiled. He smiled back.

'I'm so glad the two of you get along. I was worried Amelia would be too tiresome for you,' Mrs Jones said frankly.

'Mom!' Amelia covered her face with her hands. She groaned, amused, and headed for the kitchen. 'Why don't I make you some coffee, Mom?'

'Oh! Thank you, honey! That would be lovely! Arthur, do you want some tea?'

'Ah! No thank you. I'm fine.'

'We'll be in the front room, honey. Ok?'

'Sure.' As Amelia poured the water in the kettle and turned it on, she leaned against the counter, swirling in thought. A sigh escaped her lips over the growing hum of the kettle. She remembered the look in Arthur's eyes after the movie. Even though the record had been set straight, so to speak, Amelia still felt the bitter linger of guilt. If only she had thought of how he felt. If only she had been more aware of the situation between them. If only –

The kettle clicked, and the hum reached its peak. Amelia retrieved the coffee jar, a mug and a spoon. She made the coffee, knowing exactly how her mother liked it. Taking it into the living room, Amelia breathed deeply and silently to steady her features.

'Thank you honey,' Mrs Jones said as her daughter handed her the steaming mug. 'Oh! This is lovely! I haven't had decent coffee for days! The crap they serve on those business conferences…! Honestly!'

She chuckled with an infectious laugh. Amelia and Arthur joined in.

'Honey! Sit down!' She gestured to where Arthur was sitting.

Amelia's face flared. 'Y-yeah.' She sat down beside her babysitter. They exchanged smiles. Amelia saw Arthur's green eyes emit a gentle vibe. They were forgiving green eyes. Her smile widened, something lifted from her.

The three of them talked in the front room about Mrs Jones's time in the resort she and Amelia's father were managing. Arthur expressed a lot of interest in the business, asking endless questions and getting a lot of over-enthusiastic answers from Mrs Jones. Amelia stared at Arthur from the corner of her eye. She spied his eyes as they sparkled with interest. She took in each movement he made as he spoke. She looked to his messy blond hair. Her heart fluttered. She shuffled in the leather sofa.

After a few hours, Mrs Jones announced she had to leave. She hugged her daughter and kissed Arthur on both his cheeks. The house was eerily silent for a few moments after she had left. The sound of her loud and cheerful voice seemed to fill holes. Amelia smirked.

'What's so funny?' Arthur asked. He leaned over with a smile which contained both amusement and anticipation.

'Oh, nothing,' Amelia said, covering her mouth with the back of her hand. She coughed a couple of laughs. 'Well, I think I'll go for a walk in the park. It's such a great day, and listening to my mother's excited voice for so long makes me energetic.'

'She's a character,' Arthur agreed. 'Very much like you.'

Amelia blushed with a jolt. 'Arthur! D-Dude! I'm totally different!'

The Englishman chuckled. 'Say, may I come with you? I haven't been to the park in a while. I'm sure it's really beautiful in the summer.'

'Uh… I-If that's what you want…' Amelia said quietly. She gripped the end of her sleeve.

'Ah, if you don't want me to come, I underst-'

'It's not that!' Amelia exclaimed. 'I would love for you to come! It's just… I don't want you to feel that you have to.'

'Nonsense,' he laughed. 'I want to. Shall we head out?'

* * *

><p>The lush of the park in summer was something Amelia always loved. She adored walking under the shadows of the trees with a lick of breeze over her skin. The light hiss of the branches above her was calming.<p>

Walking with Arthur, it seemed so much more enjoyable.

'Amazing,' he said. 'I had forgotten how beautiful this park was. It's been so long since I last came here.'

'It is nice,' agreed Amelia. She looked to the swaying green leaves above her head. They cast shadows that danced gently on the worn stone path. 'I like to come here for walks. Sometimes I take this way home from school. It's longer, but it's worth it.'

There was a silence, and then Arthur said quietly, 'You are truly splendid. You appreciate such lovely things.'

Amelia squeaked. 'H-Huh?'

He smiled at her. 'You appreciate the importance of a calm atmosphere. Yet, you also love to be energetic.'

The blush upon Amelia's face deepened. She looked away with nothing but stutters and word fragments emerging from her lips. She managed to form the words 'Thank you.'

They walked without sound for a while. The noise of their light footsteps against the stone and the brushing sound of the trees above them mixed like notes of music. Amelia looked to the stone path, her eyes feeling heavy. Arthur's words settled in Amelia. Their effect made her smile.

The trees thinned to reveal a large lake ahead. Its clear water sparkled against the light of the sun. It twinkled a greeting to the two of them.

'Oh wow,' Arthur breathed, stepping to the edge. 'This brings back memories.'

Amelia looked to him. His eyes were nostalgic.

'I remember hanging around this lake when I was a kid. My parents would take me here a lot,' Arthur said, memory colouring his voice. 'I remember one time when I was about ten or eleven. I was playing by the side of the lake and I spotted a balloon floating past. Then a little girl came running after it, crying.'

Amelia's eyes widened.

'She stopped when the balloon floated over the water,' he continued. 'I decided to go in after it. Luckily the balloon only made it to the very shallow part where going after it only got my shoes wet and a bit muddy. I was glad I could help her.' Arthur looked to Amelia. 'You know, you look a bit like her, from what I remember.'

'Probably because it was me,' Amelia said simply. She played with her sleeve, suddenly feeling anxious. The memory flowed back into her mind like water as Arthur spoke of it. The vividness of the memory was surreal.

'I-It was?' Arthur stammered. 'Oh… wow… That's incredible.'

'Yeah,' Amelia breathed. She felt frozen for a second, but then laughed. 'Ah ha! That's so weird! We met here years ago!'

Arthur joined her laughter. 'Yes!'

Amelia's heart felt soft and seemed to float inside her with content. She remembered the boy's face as clear as spring water. The thick eyebrows and those green eyes. Of course it was him. She took in a breath, the memories flowing in with the clear summer air.

'I don't think I properly thanked you back then,' Amelia said, her voice drifting away slightly under the influence of the past. 'I just ran off.'

'Now, that's not true,' Arthur said with a chuckle. 'You gave me the biggest smile I think I've ever seen. It was very sweet.'

Amelia, flushed, looked away. She toyed with her sleeve. 'E-even so… I didn't properly thank you… Thank you…'

Arthur made a noise in his throat. Amelia didn't catch its meaning and looked to him. She tried not to look questioning in case the noise wasn't meant for her. It appeared to simply be a noise of acceptance. Arthur looked straight ahead to the gentle blue water.

'Thank you, Amelia. I was glad to do it,' he said, looking to her. 'It's still rather surreal that it was you.'

'…I feel the same way.' Amelia jerked her head back when she realised what she had said. The words rolled around in her mind. They accumulated to make her squeak in embarrassment. 'I, ah! I'm gonna go for a walk!'

Promptly, she turned on her heel, making a scraping sound against the exposed sediment by the lakeside. She cleared her throat and kept a firm hold on her sleeve.

'Amelia! Wait for me! You move too fast!' Arthur called after her. He didn't appear to have noticed her squeak.

When he caught up with her, he chuckled. 'You can't leave me behind! I'll never make my way back on my own.'

'Dude! You're supposed to be _my_ babysitter!' Amelia laughed. She raised her fist, ready to give him a playful punch to his arm, but forced it still. The muscles in her arm worked in full-force unison to stop her movement. She hastily lowered it, attempting to mask her intention with a casual flick of her arm as if batting an insect away.

'Shall we start to head back?' Arthur asked. 'The sun is beginning to set, and I'm sure you're getting hungry.'

'Sure.'

* * *

><p>The pair had dinner in relative silence. Arthur started every conversation, but each one ended quickly. Amelia did not feel well. She could barely finish her dinner, which was one of the most uncharacteristic things she had ever done. Even when she was ill, Amelia could always manage to eat. Her appetite never appeared to be something that could be wavered. This feeling of illness she had, however, was enough to turn the sight of food into something less bearable.<p>

She swallowed the last bite with the same effort as swallowing a rock.

'Amelia,' Arthur said softly. 'What's wrong? Do you not feel well?'

The young girl groaned quietly. 'I dunno…'

'Does your stomach hurt?' he asked, rising from his chair. He took both plates to the sink.

'Uh… Sort of… Well, no… It's kinda like… uh… I dunno.' Amelia truly did not know the precise name for her ailment. It felt as though there were millions of tiny birds fluttering insider her gut, numbing her insides. Yet, there was a sensation behind the numbness. It was as if her stomach was trying to communicate with her.

'Perhaps it's a tummy upset. Indigestion, maybe,' Arthur suggested, looking in the cupboard. He pulled out a little box. 'Here, take an antacid.'

'I've had indigestion before. It's not that,' Amelia informed him. He set the box back in the cupboard with a helpless look on his face.

'Amelia,' he began.

She waved her hands, cutting him off. With a smile to reassure him, she said, 'I didn't really have a good night's sleep last night. It's probably just tiredness…'

'Affecting your stomach?' he asked, raising an eyebrow. 'Really?'

Amelia nodded enthusiastically. 'Uh huh!'

'Bull,' he retorted. He continued in a softer tone. 'Amelia… Why did you not get a good night's sleep?'

She did not answer. She couldn't fully understand herself.

'Oh… Is it… It's not because of yesterday… is it?' he asked.

She did not answer again. She sniffed and played with her sleeve. She felt like ripping the fabric apart. The impulse took her by surprise. 'Uh… No…'

'Amelia-'

'Arthur! Honestly! It's all good! Remember we sorted that, dude?' She placed her hands on her hips, trying to look taller. 'Come on Arthur! It's cool!'

He did not possess the look of belief. His eyebrows were knitted together. Arthur moved to Amelia and stood beside her. 'I want you to know you can talk to me. I hate to think you're scared to tell me something. Am I bothering you at all?'

Amelia shook her head frantically. 'Don't you dare even think that you idiot! I really like ya, dude!'

'Oh, good,' Arthur sighed with relief. 'But please… Let me know what's wrong. I want to help you with anything that's bothering you.'

She nodded to the Englishman. 'I just think I need a night's sleep, that's all.'

'If you're sure,' he said, defeated.

Amelia bid Arthur a goodnight and headed for the door. Arthur verbally stopped her before she could exit the room. 'Amelia. Sleep tight.'

His words rested on her shoulders like gentle hands. She sighed as she sank into the pillow. The unsettled atmosphere in her stomach called to her, trying to tell her something. She rolled over, attempting to ignore it. Amelia's heavy eyes managed to overpower her stomach.

* * *

><p><em><strong>No One is to Blame~<strong>_

_**As Natural as the Rain that Falls~**_

_**Here comes the Flood~**_

**I'm sort of obsessed with that song for some reason.** **Eh heh… I'll get the next chapter up as soon as possible. Amelia and Arthur will go to a Summer Festival. Yay! See you next time! Please review! I really love hearing your opinions!**


	5. Summer 5: Summer Festival

**Buh… University is killing me, and it's only been the first real week… . It's quite ironic, since I'm doing an English course. **

**Well, here's Ch 5. This is the last chapter on summer, and I hope you like it! ^.^**

* * *

><p>'Eh? The summer festival in town? Really?' Amelia squealed in delight. She bounced to Arthur and cast her wide, excited eyes to him.<p>

'Of course,' he replied with a smile. 'Your mother mentioned to me that you loved to go there every year. This year, I'll take you.'

'Really? You-You don't mind?' she asked, gripping her sleeve with shaking fingers.

'Not at all. I actually haven't been in a number of years, so I'm looking forward to it. I assume it still has all those stalls and games,' he said, scratching his chin.

'Yeah! It's so much fun! Also, you get to wear kimonos!' Amelia said happily. She clenched her fists in determination. 'I'm totally gonna wear the blue one I have!'

'Oh, yes,' Arthur said, nodding. 'The Japanese influence.'

'Have you got a kimono, Arthur?' she asked.

'Yes. I would have to get it from my house,' he replied. 'I'll go for it a little later.'

Amelia acquired a vision of Arthur wearing something so Japanese. She pictured him holding a fan and waving it about in the heat of the summer night. It was an amusing thought, which helped her smile widen.

'Oh man! I'm so pumped!' Amelia shouted, punching the air. 'This is gonna be great!'

Arthur chuckled.

It had been a few days since Arthur and Amelia realised that they had met in the park years ago. Amelia's stomach had been off lately on a regular basis. She still could not pinpoint the source of the feeling. It felt as though nerves were mixing with cramps. There was a near-ticklish sensation that was constant. She masked it from Arthur. He asked her on numerous occasions if she was alright, only for the young girl to give him the same (not always truthful) confirmation that she was.

* * *

><p>'It's a half hour walk to my house. Are you sure you don't mind walking the distance?' Arthur asked.<p>

'Dude. Seriously. It's fine. I've walked for way longer! Besides, you won't leave me home alone, so I don't really have a choice, do I?' Amelia said. She tied her hair back, making sure strands fell loose. She didn't like it tightly tied back.

'Well, that's true, but I meant we could get a taxi or something,' Arthur replied.

'No! It's fine! Let's just go! I'm kinda looking forward to meeting your mom. She sounds nice from what you've said.' Amelia looked to herself in the hall mirror. She didn't normally do that. She flushed at looked to Arthur. 'Uh, so, shall we go?'

'Of course.'

They left the house, Arthur double-checking that he had locked everywhere, and headed for the country road. It was a quiet road that stretched and meandered with the land, rather than cutting through it. It was a well-worn road that looked more like a path than road. It gave the countryside character, Amelia thought, and it hadn't changed since she was a little girl.

'You know, it's weird,' Amelia pondered, folding her arms behind her head. 'We live relatively close together, and our parents work together sometimes, yet we hadn't really properly met until recently.'

'That's true,' Arthur agreed. 'I had actually been thinking about that recently. It seems that with the rest of our family communicating, we should have, too.'

'It's like we were kept apart on purpose,' Amelia stated. She sniggered.

'What? You don't think that is the reason, do you?' Arthur sounded genuinely surprised. Amelia instantly felt guilty.

'Aw, no dude! I was just messing with you! Chill!' she laughed.

Arthur joined her laughter, but there was a slight choke to it. He pulled at his collar as if fanning his neck. It wasn't hot enough for that.

Amelia apologised, only to have it waved away by the Englishman. 'Amelia, it's quite all right! It was a joke. Sorry for sounding so serious. Ah ha!'

They continued to walk, the sounds of the full summer keeping them company. The season was at its height when it had passed its halfway marker. The leaves were greenest and the animals were loudest and happiest.

Yet, Amelia could almost feel the chill of autumn creeping just behind her, ready to greet her with a hand to her shoulder. 'It's hard to believe summer's over half way done. I'm gonna have to go back to school soon. Crap.'

'You don't like school?' Arthur asked. His face was expectant for an obvious answer.

'Eh, I suppose it passes time,' she offered with a shrug of her shoulders.

'Indeed. School can be tiresome, but remember, you will get rewarded if you work hard,' Arthur said with a chuckle.

His way of talking was terribly charming to Amelia. She closed her eyes and smirked. 'I guess so.'

'Ah, here we are,' Arthur announced.

Amelia opened her eyes and followed the direction of Arthur's gesture. There was a tall set of metal gates separating the huge and well-maintained front garden. Hedges composed of perfect right angles bordered the house's territory. There was a pale stone path leading to the driveway big enough for five cars to park in comfortably. Amelia walked to the gates.

'So pretty,' she said in awe. The house itself caught her attention simply with the impressive stonework. 'This is awesome.'

Even though it was a similar size and style to Amelia's own home, she felt as though she were staring at something completely different. It just seemed so beautiful and unique.

'Mother, it's me,' Arthur said through a buzzer. Amelia could just make out a welcome on the other side before the gates opened in a near silent movement.

Amelia kept close to Arthur for fear of breaking something. There were ornaments placed strategically along the drive and further in the garden.

Arthur used his key to open the door. He smiled to Amelia before gesturing for her to enter first. 'Please, go ahead.'

'Ah, th-thanks.' Amelia stepped in. The house was spotless and shone as if freshly polished. 'Should I take my shoes off?'

'If you wouldn't mind. We all must obey mother's rule of 'no shoes in the house.' Here, you can wear a pair of these slippers.' Arthur handed her a pair of light pink slippers. 'My mother has plenty of them.'

Moving through to the kitchen, Amelia felt a wave of uneasiness. The fact that she was in Arthur's house seemed to be more significant that it was required to be. Amelia felt a sudden swell of giddiness nearly knock her silence away. She put her hand to her mouth discretely. Arthur looked round briefly and smiled at her again.

They entered what appeared to be simply a luxurious sitting room, themed black and gold.

'Ah, darling, hello!' A woman, who had been sitting on the long sofa in the middle of the room, stood up and walked over to the pair. 'And you must be Amelia. Pleased to meet you… again! Now that I think of it! My oh my, you were only this height when I last saw you. You've grown to be such a lovely girl.'

'H-hello… Mrs Kirkland,' Amelia said quietly, taking the woman's hand gently. She nearly forgot Arthur's surname, she had only ever heard it once in passing from her mother. Arthur looked to Amelia. He must have been surprised that she knew. Amelia cleared her throat. 'Ah, you have such a lovely home.'

'Why, thank you.' Mrs Kirkland had a thick English accent like her son, and she possessed the same intense green eyes as him, but her hair was a light shade of reddish-brown and fell in neat lines around her shoulders. She had eyebrows that were not quite as think as Arthur's, but Amelia could recognise a similarity. 'Arthur, you're here for your kimono, correct?'

'Yes, it's in my room, right?'

'Yes. Should be in your wardrobe. Go and get it while I get to know this lovely lady a bit more,' Mrs Kirkland said with a wave of her hand. She took Amelia's hand again and led her to the sofa. She gently sat the girl down. 'Would you like something to drink?'

'Ah, I'm fine, thanks,' Amelia said. She folded her hands on her lap, not quite sure how courteous she should be.

Mrs Kirkland sat down. 'Don't be afraid to ask if you feel thirsty. It's been awfully hot recently.'

'Yes, it has.'

'Amelia, dear,' Mrs Kirkland leaned forward. Amelia's stomach jolted. 'I must say, thank you for being so kind to Arthur.'

'Huh… Ah! I mean, why wouldn't I be? He's such a nice guy. He's a credit to you,' Amelia said honestly.

'Ah ha! Oh, honey! That's kind of you to say.' She leaned back in the sofa as if something had been eased inside her. 'Arthur is very fond of you.'

'He is?' Amelia leaned over slightly this time. She found herself to be intrigued and hopeful.

'Yes. When he calls, you are the first thing he talks about. He tells me that you're an energetic girl and that you are fun to talk to.'

'He… said that?'

Mrs Kirkland nodded. 'Oh yes. Actually…' she paused in thought. 'I do almost wish the two of you had met under… well… less formal terms. I think he thinks there's a boundary between you.'

Amelia took a deep, silent breath in. She looked through the window just behind Mrs Kirkland. The perfectly cut grass was as green as her and her son's eyes.

'What I mean is… Well, I want you to know that he wishes to see you as more of a friend than simply someone he looks after. I think he's a bit scared in that sense,' she said, folding her arms. 'You and my son are friends, but… you understand what I'm saying, dear?'

Amelia nodded. 'I do understand.' She looked to Mrs Kirkland and smiled, hoping the lady would not notice the force Amelia used. 'Even if that is the case, I'm glad I know him at all. He's made my summer a lot more fun.'

'I found it!' Arthur's voice sounded from a distance. He soon entered the sitting room, holding a backpack. 'It's in here.'

'Good, good!' Mrs Kirkland jumped up. 'Tell you what, why don't I drive you two to the festival tonight? It'll save you having to park, sweetie.'

'Really, mum?' Arthur asked. 'Are you sure that's Ok?'

'Of course! I'll pick the two of you up this evening in plenty of time to enjoy the festival!'

'Is that all right with you, Amelia?' Arthur asked.

Amelia nodded. 'Sounds like a great idea!'

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><p>'Amazing! Arthur you look so good!' Amelia sang as Arthur emerged from the bathroom. He wore a dark blue kimono. He had geta sandals and haori jacket. He looked good despite his obvious western natural looks. 'So handsome!'<p>

Arthur blushed. He cleared his throat. 'You-you really think so?'

Amelia nodded enthusiastically. 'Uh huh!'

'You look incredible in your kimono,' Arthur said, looking Amelia up and down. 'That light blue really suits you.'

Amelia wore a furisode with long, flowing sleeves that were patterned with small white flowers. The sash was a light yellow colour. Amelia felt her face heat up under Arthur's gaze. 'Thanks, Arthur.'

'I'm really looking forward to this,' he said, approaching Amelia. 'The summer evenings have been pleasant recently. It should be lovely.'

Amelia looked to him. His eyes shone with a glimmer that was now all-to-familiar to her. They held something insider her now. 'Yeah. Listen… I'm glad you're coming with me. It'll be so much more fun with you there.'

Arthur mimicked the silence Amelia had a moment earlier. He parted his lips. 'Amelia…'

Something inside her jumped. 'Yeah?'

'Ah… I'm glad to go. And I'm glad I'm going with you.' He turned, adjusting his haori jacket. 'It will be a nice evening.'

The doorbell rang, and Amelia took the opportunity during the surprised second to head for it. 'I'll get it!'

She felt the skin of her face heat up. She put her hand to her heart, feeling a small jab of pain.

'Hey, Mrs Kirkland,' Amelia greeted as she opened the door to Arthur's mother. 'Thanks for doing this.'

'No problem, darling. I am more than happy to do it. You're such a sweet girl!' Arthur's mother walked in and greeted her son with a hug. 'Well, don't you two look absolutely adorable? Your kimonos are lovely! Amelia, that colour suits you. I hope Arthur paid you a tremendous complement when he saw you in it.'

'Ah! Y-Yeah! He did!' Amelia laughed. She looked to the flowing sleeves of her furisode. It wasn't a garment she could play with the sleeves of. 'A-and Arthur looks really good in his.'

'You're so sweet, Amelia!' Mrs Kirkland said happily. She headed out the front door after patting Amelia on the head.

The pair eyed each other in a flash of silence. Amelia cleared her throat and said quickly, 'I'm gonna double check everything's locked upstairs.'

Equally quick in his reply, Arthur said, 'And I'll double check everything's locked up downstairs.'

They parted in a flurry of footsteps.

* * *

><p>'Thank you, mother,' Arthur said. He got out of the car and leaned back in. 'It should be over about midnight. Is that all right?'<p>

'That's fine. I'll be here. You two have fun, Ok?' Mrs Kirkland smiled and turned to Amelia, who was half way out of the car. 'Amelia.'

The young girl paused.

'Don't be afraid to stay close to him. He's shy, you know, when it comes to girls.'

'Eh? Mrs Kirkland, what-'

'Amelia, shall we go on?' Arthur asked, not aware of the girls' exchange. 'There are many heading in.'

'Sure. 'Amelia cast a quick glance back to Arthur's mother, who returned it with a brief smile. It had the same weight as words. Amelia smiled back and got out of the car.

Arthur moved his hands behind Amelia's back to lead her to the large coloured banner erected in front of the festivities. The glow of lanterns and the hum of crowds began to take over the senses. Arthur's hands did not touch Amelia's back, but she could feel them nonetheless.

She decided to be bold. It overtook her in a heartbeat. She stopped suddenly, and his hands made brief contact with her back, only to be taken away in the same second. Amelia's heart fluttered, and she hid a smile.

'Sorry,' he said.

'It's fine, really,' she replied. 'Let's go in.'

They made their way past the high banner reading 'Summer Festival' and entered the crowd of people, all of whom were wearing kimonos and other Japanese-influenced clothes and accessories. The Summer Festival was largely inspired by Japan's culture, and over the years people incorporated new ideas into it. The Japanese clothing had been established as a must-do. Amelia liked this idea. It gave the festival a new and unique charm.

The gentle glow of the golden lanterns cast warmth over the ground. The buzz of the crowds was soft and friendly. Amelia felt very much at ease. She spied Arthur walking beside her and moved closer to him.

'There sure are a lot of people here,' she said, looking around, eyes wide. 'It's nice.'

'Yeah,' Arthur agreed. 'Stay close so we don't get separated.'

Amelia nodded, more than happy to oblige. She grabbed the end of his haori when a flush of people broke past them. Arthur kept his eye on Amelia. He smiled and nodded to her.

'Where shall we go first?'

Amelia thought for a second. 'Wanna get something sweet to eat?'

'Sounds perfect.'

They made their way to a stall selling a variety of colourful and sugary treats. Amelia and Arthur both got something after a brief argument about who was paying. Arthur won, and they walked off, eating the caramelised sweets.

'It's so nostalgic,' Arthur said, his voice saturated with awe. 'I wonder if they still have goldfish scooping…'

'O-oh!' Amelia squeaked. 'I hope they do! I want to try!'

Arthur laughed. 'Ok! Calm yourself down. Let's just wander around for a bit. We'll probably come across it as we walk. We have plenty of time.'

They walked at a leisurely pace through the stalls and crowds. Amelia remained as close to Arthur as she could manage at all times. At one point, it was Arthur who made the contact. He grabbed her sleeve gently to pull her in a direction away from an oncoming crowd of people. She had blushed and lowered her face.

The summer night's sky crept into deeper darkness. The stars were beginning to peak through.

'There it is!' Amelia sang. 'Goldfish scoop! Can I try?'

She bounded off before Arthur could speak. Amelia kneeled before the tank of little orange fish. They swam in the clear water, unaware of her presence.

'They're so cute,' she sighed.

'You want to scoop for one?' the stall keeper asked with a wide smile.

Amelia looked to him, her smile enthusiastic and equalling his. 'Yes, sir!'

Arthur approached them and insisted on paying. 'As long as you win one.'

'No pressure, then,' Amelia muttered, amused. She rolled up her sleeves and took the scoop. 'Here I go…!'

She submerged the scoop along with her hand under the cool water. The fish scattered instantly. Amelia narrowed her eyes and focused on one fish she made an inner pledge to catch. She chased it through the tank. Its pale orange tail flowed behind it like a dress as it swam. After a minute or two of chasing the little creature, Amelia managed to corner it and scoop it up. She deposited it in a plastic bag the stall keeper was holding out for her.

'Well done, little missy,' he said cheerfully as Amelia squeaked in delight. 'Take care of it, won't you?'

Amelia nodded, eying her prize with a sense of satisfaction. 'I will!'

As they walked away from the stall, Arthur patted her on the shoulder. 'Well done. Your persistence paid off.'

Amelia looked to her babysitter, realising he was making physical contact. Her smile carried two delights now. 'Thanks… You know, I think I'll call the fish Arthur.'

The Englishman snorted, covering his mouth. 'Should I be insulted or complimented?'

'Complimented, of course! You paid for it. I want you to know that I'm grateful for that. Thanks, Arthur.' Amelia held up the bag to Arthur, who eyed it.

'It's not a problem. Actually, I like seeing you so happy,' Arthur said. 'Seeing you with a smile really suits you.'

Amelia, blushing, held the bag to her heart. 'Thank you.'

The stars became very evident. Tiny white flares against black. They shone down on the festivities. Amelia and Arthur observed several parades and looked at many more stalls. Amelia couldn't keep the glee locked in her heart. She was here with Arthur, and she could not have felt happier. She felt near ecstatic.

They moved away from the crowds and found themselves on a small hill. The stars seemed closer here.

'Why don't we just sit for a while?' Arthur suggested.

'Sounds good,' Amelia said.

They both sat down. Amelia felt relief wash over her upon coming off the sandals. They were tiresome to wear for long periods of time. The grass was soft underneath her. She carefully set the bag down.

'So beautiful,' Arthur breathed.

He was talking about the stars, but Amelia's heart skipped a beat nonetheless. 'Yeah.'

'Amelia?'

'Hhm?'

'Today – this evening – has been a lot of fun. I'm glad we could do this together,' Arthur said. His voice was quiet, but loud enough to convey weight. 'I like your company, Amelia. Please know that.'

'I like your company, too.' Amelia said. She could not look at him, as her stomach began to ache and flutter. 'I'm glad I could come here with you. It's been more fun that all the years I came here with my family.'

A zephyr rolled over the grass.

'It is a shame that summer is drawing to a close,' Arthur said. 'Things will be slowing down and going back to sleep.'

Amelia's parents would be coming back home soon, and Amelia would have to go back to school. This meant she would not need a babysitter anymore. The thought struck her like a bolt of lightning to the heart.

'It's sad,' she said. The emotion within her leaked out and coloured her words.

Arthur shuffled beside her. He had moved closer. 'Amelia?'

'It's nothing…' she muttered, wiping tears that were threatening to form. 'It's just… That means you won't be my babysitter anymore.'

'Oh,' he breathed. '…Amelia… Don't think like that… Remember what I said? I like your company, so we can still see each other as friends. It's not as if I'm only going to be around for the summer.'

She looked to him, the tears being successfully pushed back. She sniffed. 'Oh… That's good. I'm… I'm so happy.'

'Amelia.' His voice was so gentle. 'I'm happy, too. I'm so happy you like me enough to fret over something like that. Thank you…'

He raised his hand and rested it on her shoulder. The touch was heavenly to Amelia. She loved it. She understood there, under the watch of the stars. Like gods listening without fail, they could well have made a note when Amelia admitted to herself that she cared about Arthur in a stronger and very different way compared to her levels of care for anyone else.

Colour burst into the summer evening sky as fireworks marked the near-end of the festival, and indeed the near-end of the season.

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><p><strong>I hope you liked it. I'll post up the next chapter as soon as I can. The next chapter will be the start of autumn in this story! Yay! I'm going to have it in Arthur's point of view, because I think you should all know how he feels right now… <strong>

**Please review! Thanks much!**


	6. Autumn 1: His Feelings and the Boundary

**Rain, rain, rain. That's all this story seems to do… Well, I like the rain, so I guess it's just natural. Ah ha… Ahem! I'll start the chapter. :3**

**I just want to thank everyone who reviewed this story so far! I am really, super grateful. Reviews help me continue. Without them, this story would not be on its sixth chapter. Here's to more to come! ^.^**

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><p>The rain had cleared, but the white glare on the road remained behind as a harsh visual reminder of its previous presence. Arthur drove carefully with eyes squinted. He had started a job at cooperation in the city he lived in the outskirts of. It was a typical office job, but because he was new and young compared to most of the other workers, he was learning on the job and was ending his shift an hour earlier. Arthur enjoyed the routine of getting up, going to work, and going home. To him, there was something strangely satisfying about it.<p>

He stopped at a red light and rested his elbow on the door. He chewed the tip on his index finger, allowing thoughts to briefly wander. He thought about the next day, about what he would learn. He wondered if the co-workers would continue to treat him nicely as they got to know him. There was every chance that they were feigning kindness to leave him vulnerable while holding a false sense of security. He smiled to himself. That probably wasn't the case. Surely they wouldn't turn on him when he could easily tell the boss – as childish as that sounded.

Arthur contemplated the cool autumn breeze now invading the world. It had completely erased the summer zephyrs. The leaves were already beginning to change. Reds and yellows were emerging to colour nature.

He then thought about where he was going; Amelia's school. It was nearly four o'clock and Amelia would be getting out of school soon. He had been tasked with picking her up, as her parents were both working late. He didn't mind in the least. When his mother called him to inform of the job, Arthur cast a soft smile to the ceiling of his office. He liked Amelia very much. She had an energy that he found somewhat addictive. The lights changed, and he drove on.

The Englishman had stopped carrying the role of her babysitter when the last day of summer ticked over. In a sense, they went their separate ways. Of course, they were still in contact. They texted on a regular basis. Arthur was not normally a big communicator by this means, but for Amelia, he was willing to make an exception.

Truth be told, Amelia was the closest female friend Arthur had. Since he had spent most of his life in an English all-boy boarding school, contact with the opposite sex was limited to the strict female lecturers. He admired their courage to teach in an all-boys school, but with their attitudes, all the students were scared witless of them. They were tougher than the male teachers.

Arthur did think of Amelia as a friend, but he wondered about their connection. She was so young. Yes, only three years younger than him, but there was a boundary that existed within these three years. She was a child and he was an adult. There was another boundary that existed – they were opposite sexes. Arthur felt himself blush, though the reason was not entirely clear. It could have been due to the weight of thoughts that crowded his mind, or it could have been because the thoughts were ludicrous. He was not sure.

The gates of her school appeared as he rounded a corner. They were as prominent as an elephant in a room of dogs. They stood, tall and proud, with the school crest engraved obviously on the tops of the silver metal. Arthur drove through them and down a long pale stone path. He had never been on the grounds, but was informed that there was a car park for people picking up the children. Arthur found it and spied the large building which reminded him vividly of Hogwarts. Tall towers and old-looking structures. There were even gargoyles. Arthur parked the car, unsure if Amelia was expecting him or not.

This school was a rare type in that it was private and expensive, yet it had both boys and girls. Usually, private schools were single-sex.

A few girls emerged from large wooden doors, giggling and playfully hitting each other. A group of boys followed them. Arthur noted how neat their uniform was kept at this time of day. The rules on the matter must have been very strict. The uniform was a navy colour. The blazers had the crest on the right side, and the shirts were white. The tie was striped navy and white with the crest visible where it was tied at the collar. The skirts were grey and remained the same length for all the girls he saw – just over halfway between the knees and hips. Some girls wore knee-length grey socks and some wore black tights. The boys' trousers were black.

Arthur then spotted Amelia in a crowd. She was with a boy. They were laughing, and the boy patted her on the head. When Arthur spotted this, he felt a quick twist somewhere inside him. He narrowed his eyes and twitched his head back in surprise. The boy then brought his phone out and showed Amelia something. She laughed. Arthur could hear her laugh from inside the car. He smiled unconsciously. Amelia then spotted him, and a smile broke out on her face. She waved and turned to the boy she was with. She pointed, her mouth moving in speech, and waved goodbye to him.

'Arthur! Hey, dude!' she exclaimed as she got into the car. 'What are you doing here?'

'Ah, so you haven't heard,' Arthur said. He started up the engine. 'Both your parents are working so I'm picking you up today. I hope that's all right.'

'Of course it is! Thank you so much!' She clicked her seatbelt into place. She had set her schoolbag on the leg space in front of her. 'Hey! You started work recently, didn't you?'

'Yes.'

'How was it?' she turned her body fully to face him. Arthur could see her from the corner of his eye as he waited in the queue to get out of the school grounds.

He was touched by her question. 'It's good, thank you. The people are nice, so far. No problems. So, tell me, how have the first few days of school been?'

'Ugh… Do you need to ask?'

Arthur chuckled. 'That bad? Surely you like to see all your friends again?'

Amelia sighed. He saw her play with her sleeve. His heart stuttered for a beat as if nearly losing its footing. He cast his attention back to the road.

'Amelia,' he said. 'Who was that guy you were with?'

'Huh? Oh, that was Jason. He's a friend of mine. He's awesome! Such a funny dude!' Her voice picked up with emotion.

Arthur swallowed. The reaction of his stomach was confusing him. As if it would chase the uneasiness away, Arthur cleared his throat. 'I see.'

'Huh? Arthur? You Ok, dude? You look kinda far away or something,' Amelia observed. 'Do you feel Ok?'

'Ah… yeah,' Arthur said, his voice small. 'It seemed as though you two get on. I'm glad.'

Amelia said nothing. She shuffled in the seat. The only noise that filled the car was the low sound of the engine.

They arrived at Amelia's home. Arthur parked the car on the drive and stretched his arms over the steering wheel. 'Here we are.'

'Thanks Arthur,' Amelia said. 'Hey… Are you sure you're Ok?'

Arthur smiled to Amelia. Her worried face was a charming thing he had not seen very much. 'Honestly, I'm fine.'

'Well, do you wanna come in or anything? I can make you tea if you want,' she offered.

Her voice had an edge of coyness to it. Arthur smiled. 'Thank you, Amelia. That's very kind of you, but I'll have to decline this time. I'm sure you have homework, anyway. Am I correct?'

Amelia made a small noise of confirmation. Uneasy confirmation. 'Yeah, I guess.'

'Hey, Amelia, it'll be all right. You'll look back on your school days and laugh. They're supposed to be the happiest days of your life,' Arthur said with a soft smile. He looked to Amelia, who smiled back. She then raised her fist to hover between them. Arthur looked to it questioningly. 'What's wrong?'

'We should totally knuckle-bash,' she said. 'Like a secret handshake. That can be our thing!'

Arthur made a sound of understanding. 'I see. That sounds good.' He raised his hand and they bumped fists gently. 'A gesture of friendship.'

'Yup!'

'Say, Amelia. How's Arthur doing?'

'He's awesome! I didn't know fish could be so active! He never stops!'

'Ah ha! That's good to hear!' Arthur laughed. The rain began to pelt to the ground, tapping the glass of the windscreen. 'Oh, do you have an umbrella?'

'Dude, my house is a few feet away,' Amelia informed him.

'Nevertheless…' He couldn't finish right away. Arthur leaned back in the seat, his head facing the young American girl, '…you could still catch a cold.'

She looked to him, and her eyes drooped. She played with her sleeve. 'Thanks… Uh, yeah, I've got an umbrella.' She took it out of her bag and prepared it. Before stepping out of the car into the light float of rain, she said, 'Thanks for the lift, Arthur. I'll… see you around, yeah?'

'Yeah, I'll text.' He replied softly, waving his hand.

She stepped out and closed the door with a click behind her. Her figure became a blur moving into the big house on the other side of the rain-coated window. Arthur watched to make sure she got in. She did, and he started the engine.

He drove to his own house, his mind silent and numb. He reached his home. The rain had not gotten any worse. It was still a light flurry falling to the ground. He sat in the seat, staring blindly to the outside.

Arthur felt a swell in his heart. He leaned his head against the steering wheel, folding his arms around the top of it. He made a small noise in the back of his throat. It was a choke and a sigh rolled together. Another followed, and another. Arthur's nose began to sting.

'No… Oh, God, no…' He found himself in the mirror, seeing his eyes full. 'I cannot possibly…'

Arthur filled his head with forceful denial. He unbuckled his seatbelt and stepped out to face the cool, nipping breeze. He entered the house, and his mother greeted him.

'Hello, sweetie! How was your day? I trust you got Amelia all right?'

'I did.'

'Hey, Arthur? Are you Ok?'

'Ah, I'm fine. If you don't mind, I'll just go up to my room right now,' Arthur said, loosening his tie.

'Sure… That's fine. Are you sure you're Ok?'

'…Yeah.'

He reached his room and sat down on the bed. He rested his head in his hand, feeling the weight of the world rest on his back. His eyes became heavy and something cool rolled down his cheek.

A noise interrupted his thoughts. It was his phone. Arthur examined it and saw a text message from Amelia.

_Thanks for picking me up 2day! I wish you could have come in 4 tea or something. My Mom totally yelled at me cause she thought I didn't invite U in! LOL. C U soon! xx_

Arthur smiled as he replied.

_Sorry, Amelia. I promise I'll come in the next time. Have a good day tomorrow._

He paused in thought, then added the final touch to his message - _Xx_

Pressing 'send', he brought the phone to his forehead. Arthur took a couple of breaths and set the phone on his bedside table. He pulled off his tie, making sure to hang it up neatly.

He cared for Amelia so much, and to Arthur, the level of care he possessed was wrong. He was eighteen, nearly nineteen, and she was fifteen. He was an adult, and she was a child. The boundary between them was something he hated, but saw. It danced in front of his eyes, taking a form he did not recognise or like. It was a torture.

Arthur leaned against the door of his wardrobe and muttered, 'I'm sorry, Amelia.'

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><p><strong>How was it? Reviews are much appreciated! I'll have the next chapter posted up as soon as I can. I'll make it a little bit more intimate than the previous chapters have been. Stay tuned!<strong>


	7. Autumn 2: Missing Lily

**Hello! Here's Ch 7! I hope you enjoy it! I apologise if there are mistakes in it… I do get clumsy sometimes, no matter how hard I try.**

**Anyway! Please read and review! Oh! And thank you to all who have reviewed this story so far! Because I cannot reply to these reviewers personally, I would like to thank them here: OnceUponATime and Tawainai. Thanks so much to all you reviewers! You really make my day! Also a thanks to anyone who favourite and alerted this story! Thanks! Don't be afraid to leave a review! **

**Onward! ^.^**

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><p>Amelia was glad of the weekend. Friday eventually ended with double English and Amelia bounded out the doors. She giggled at her friends' jokes, waving goodbye.<p>

Amelia wrapped her blue scarf tighter around her neck, shielding herself from the cool autumn air. Her breath was just about visible. She sighed into the fabric around her neck, thankful she had it. Her mother was waiting for her in the car. Amelia waved and got in.

'Hey, Mom,' she greeted, loosening the scarf.

'Hey, honey! How was school?' Her mother replied enthusiastically.

'Boring, as usual. Though I don't really have that much homework, which is cool.' Amelia buckled her seatbelt and rubbed her hands together.

'Oh, that's good!' They drove out of the gates, and Amelia waved to a couple of people she knew as they made their way down the road. 'Honey, you remember your father and I are going to a business seminar tomorrow?'

'Yup, no worries.'

'And Arthur's coming to babysit you. He's such a sweetie, doing this on his day off.' Amelia's mother laughed to herself.

Amelia smiled out the window. She brought her knees up and hugged them, a task which was made slightly more difficult given the fact she was wearing a skirt. 'Yeah.'

'Behave for him, won't you?' Her mother asked playfully.

Amelia laughed. Her phone then buzzed in her pocket, and she looked to the text she had received. It read, _Yo, Amelia! Do U wanna come over to my house tomorrow? We could go bowling and get ice cream and stuff. Text back soon! xxxx_

'Who's that, dear?'

'Huh? Oh, it's Eliza. She's invited me to her house tomorrow,' Amelia said, beginning to text back. 'I'm just telling her I can't.'

'Hey, why?'

'Eh?'

'If you go over to her house tomorrow, it'll save Arthur having to babysit.' Mrs Jones looked to her daughter with a smile. 'What do you think?'

Amelia blushed as she looked to the phone. She had half the text completed. 'Uh… W-well… Arthur's already coming, and-and it'll probably annoy him if he's all prepared for coming and stuff… Uh…'

'…Oh… I see,' Mrs Jones said. Her words were high-pitched in understanding. 'You'd rather spend a day with Arthur. That's fine, honey.'

Amelia's blush intensified. 'M-mom! It's not like th-that…!'

Her mother simply laughed heartily. 'There's nothing wrong with having a crush on him, honey.'

Amelia choked and turned to stare at her reflection in the window. Her face was red and heated. She gripped her phone, feeling her palm begin to sweat.

_Sorry, Eliza. I have other plans tomorrow. Thanks so much for the invite, though! We should definitely go out some other time, though! xxxx_

Amelia didn't feel guilty. She liked Eliza, but she had more opportunity to see her than she did Arthur. She blushed again.

'I… don't have a crush on him.' Amelia tucked her legs tighter to her chest, also tightening her arms.

Her mother laughed.

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><p>'It's cold, isn't it?' Arthur asked. He rubbed his hands together and smiled to Amelia.<p>

'Yeah,' she replied. 'Mom says the heating will turn on in an hour or so. I'm sorry.'

Arthur laughed and said she had no reason to apologise. Amelia's parents had left on their business trip half an hour previously, and Amelia and Arthur were alone in the house. As was the recent trend for the world, the sky whispered a threat of rain. The grey loomed over the house.

As Amelia stared out to the autumnal scene, she said to Arthur, 'Hey, thanks for taking care of me this weekend. I'm sure you have better things you'd rather be doing. I am so grateful.'

'It's not a chore, Amelia,' he laughed. 'I'm happy to be able to do it.'

He cast his smile to Amelia, and she caught herself thinking, _He's so charming._

'So, on to grim matters. Do you have any homework this weekend?' Arthur asked. He headed for the kitchen door.

Amelia sighed and folded her arms. 'A little. Just some Maths and a bit of Biology…'

'Ah, perhaps you should complete that as soon as you can. It would not be wise to leave it until the last minute.'

Amelia jumped from her seat and followed him into the kitchen. Arthur retrieved mugs from the cupboard and turned on the kettle. He leaned against the counter and asked Amelia if she wanted any tea.

'Yeah, please,' she said, sitting on the counter beside Arthur. 'Hey, how was work?'

'Hhm? It was good. I'm learning a lot on the job. It's interesting,' he said. The howl of the kettle was increasing, so neither spoke again until it clicked. 'I've brought something different for you to try. Tell me what you think.' He placed a tea bag in her mug.

'Cool. Hey, I'm glad you like work,' Amelia replied enthusiastically. She held her mug as Arthur poured the water in. She swirled it, the liquid mixing with the tea bag. She took a sip. 'Hhm? This tea tastes…'

'Do you like it? It's Camomile,' Arthur also took a sip. 'It's fine if you don't.'

'It's… different. I mean, I'm not much of a tea drinker in the first place, but it's actually quite nice.' Amelia took another sip. 'It's pretty awesome, actually! Thanks Arthur!'

The Englishman smiled. 'I'm glad you like it.'

Amelia smiled, bringing the mug to her lips. She stared into the warm water for a few seconds, letting the scent comfort her. 'Tea does warm you up, doesn't it?'

'Yeah.'

They finished their tea, and Amelia decided to head outside to check on the horses before it began to rain. Arthur gently reminded her about her homework, but Amelia insisted she would do it after checking on the animals. Amelia had seen Lily that morning to feed her before school, but was intent on seeing her again to make sure she was comfortable. Arthur came with her, and Amelia retrieved her coat from the cloak room. Amelia gave him his coat which had been hung there earlier. They headed out, Amelia checking the stables. Each horse had hay and water – the staff were off today, so Amelia and her parents had taken care of the horses. Things were content.

'Everything seems to be in order,' Amelia said. 'Now it's just Lily.'

They reached Lily's barn, and Amelia went white. The lock wasn't secured, and the door was ajar a foot. Amelia squeaked and threw her hands to her head in a swell of panic. She darted forward and shot through the door.

'Lily!'

The barn was empty. Amelia remembered that morning; she had fed Lily, but upon realising she was nearly late for school, she had dashed out without checking whether she had locked the door or not. The two second lapse in routine that morning was thrashing about in her head, digging up every negative emotion within her. She felt her nose sting.

'Oh… Oh God no,' she stammered. She clutched the sleeve of her jacket with trembling fingers. 'Lily…'

'Amelia.' Arthur placed his hand on her shoulder. 'Don't panic. She couldn't have gotten far.'

'It's been unlocked since this morning…!' Amelia cried.

Arthur tightened the grip on her shoulder, but it was reassurance rather than tension. 'Shh… Don't worry. We'll look for her, come on. Let's find her before it rains.'

His optimism shone through, and combined with his smile, Amelia felt ease flicker through her stomach. 'Thank you, Arthur.'

They headed out to the yard. The sky's gloom was even more prominent. The heavens were simply waiting to open their arms. The cold breath of autumn ran over Amelia's skin, causing her to shudder. The emotions weighing her down served to enhance the chill.

'L-Lily!' Amelia called. Her voice echoed eerily against the stables and concrete. 'Lily! Where are you, girl?'

'Lily!' Arthur joined in. He lowered his voice to talk to Amelia. 'Hey, should we split up?'

'No!' The word burst out of Amelia's mouth before she could even think about it. She threw her head back with a squeak. 'Ah! I mean… I'd rather we didn't split up… It's just… ah, you don't know your way around as much, and…'

She couldn't continue, but Arthur nodded. 'It's Ok. That's probably a wise idea.'

Amelia smiled weakly, and they proceeded to search the yard, calling the foal's name. The sky was threatening with the darkest shade of grey. They made their way around the corner of the longest row of stables, and Amelia's heart sank even lower. She did not think it was possible for the shaken organ to do so.

The gate to the forest trekking path was open. Her parents must not have closed it this morning.

'Oh, my God…' Amelia said. The strength in her legs faltered, and she was dully amused she didn't faint. 'Lily…'

Arthur stepped beside her. 'You don't think she-'

'Where else could she have gone?' Amelia turned to Arthur and grabbed his sleeve. Tears filled her eyes and choked her voice. 'Lily's gone down that dangerous path! My little Lily has gone down there and she is probably-'

'Sh-hh!' Arthur turned Amelia to him and placed both his hands on her shoulders. He moved his fingers over her shoulders as if massaging them. 'Amelia, we will find her, and she'll be fine. Chin up.'

Amelia sniffed, forcing the tears back. They were relentless. She nodded. 'R-right…'

Arthur nodded and took his hands from her shoulders. 'I assume you're going to go down there even though it'll likely rain soon and that path looks muddy already, so just promise me you'll stay close to me.'

Despite everything, Amelia laughed. 'Ok.'

They made their way down the path. The trees immediately blocked most of the grey above them. It became darker. The path was merely a worn strip between the trees composed of mud and the occasional stone. Fallen coloured leaves decorated the trek.

Arthur and Amelia called for the foal to no avail. The silence of the forest consumed them. Then, beads of rain pelting into the leaves disturbed the evening silence. Heavy drops created a pang of noise around them. The low symphony around them was a lonely company.

'Oh God…' Amelia moaned, bringing her hands to her head. 'Lily… Lily!'

Arthur stepped ahead to look around. The path had faded even more and was barely visible against the forest floor. The rain was heavy enough to pierce through the trees with ease. They might as well not have been there. The cold saturated them almost instantly. The forest held no promise – there were no tracks or clues to be seen with the naked eye. There wasn't even the guarantee that Lily was down here. She could have been nestled back in the yard.

Amelia burst into tears that mixed with the rain streaking her face. 'This is all my fault! Lily I'm so sorry!'

Arthur turned around with wide, worried eyes. He opened his mouth, but Amelia cried out again.

'Why am I so useless? Lily! Lily! If only I had checked the gate…! How gives a crap about being late for school as long as she's all right?' Amelia's choked voice rang through the trees. She sobbed and gasped, roughly wiping her eyes.

She saw Arthur step towards her, outstretching his hand. A hand of comfort.

Amelia reeled back. 'N-no! I don't deserve your comfort!' She took off in a run. It was all she could think of to do. Amelia just managed to catch Arthur's call.

She found herself in a thicker area of woodland. The rain pelted against her clothes and skin like tiny knives. She cried out. 'Lily!'

'Amelia.'

The addressed girl turned her head slowly. Arthur stood there, soaked to his skin like her. His hair hung low over his head, dripping at the ends. It looked slightly darker than usual. His eyes were narrowed in what looked like sadness, and the area of his white shirt not covered by the jacket clung to his skin. The pink of his flesh whispered through. He had been running, for though his breath was even, it was deep. His chest rose and fell in long, slow motions.

Amelia turned more fully to him. The tears began again. Her eyes felt raw. 'Arthur.'

His voice was soft as he approached her. 'Amelia, don't run off on your own. Look, there's a lot of mounds and drops.'

Amelia shook her head and turned around. 'N-no! Arthur! I don't deserve your kindn-'

She slipped down a gentle hill made slippery. With a squeak, Amelia fell forward. Arms flew around her, and she was twisted into something warm. There was a thump, but Amelia did not feel any pain. She was clinging to something. Her eyes were squeezed shut, expecting something else to happen.

Time passed with nothing but the autumnal melody of rain. Amelia still clung to something warm. She opened her eyes. She was lying on top of Arthur, who lay on his back with his arms wrapped around her and his eyes closed.

'Uh… A-Arthur…' Amelia mumbled after a wave of shock.

He slowly opened his eyes. Arthur stared at her for a few seconds before smiling. 'Are you Ok?'

She squeaked. 'O-Of course…! Yes! Arthur…! Are-Are you…'

'I'm fine. The ground's soft,' he said. His arms were still around her. 'I'm so glad you're Ok.'

Their faces were close. Breaths mingled and heartbeats drummed together. Arthur's green eyes kept Amelia's blue eyes.

They moved apart, but Arthur helped her up by keeping his arms around her. They stood, and Arthur patted her on the back.

'Th-Thank you… Arthur,' Amelia said. 'I'm so sorry…'

The Englishman shook his head. 'Don't be. I'm glad you're safe.'

Amelia looked up to him and smiled. Her eyes still held the pain of tears, but something inside her eased. His blonde hair still drooped over his face, the rain snaking down the strands before releasing and falling to the ground. Amelia moved to him, pressing her forehead to his chest. A hand moved around her back.

'It'll be all right…' the quiet English voice said in her ear.

A small whinny broke through. Both of them turned to the direction of the sound. Amelia cried out in a relieved breath. Lily was standing at the top of the slope they had fallen down. The foal had wide, curious eyes and was wagging her tail in an excited fashion.

'Lily!' cried Amelia, making her way up the slope.

She peered round to see Arthur following her up.

Both hugged the foal and expressed their joy at the fact she was safe. Amelia's tears contained a different meaning now. Arthur, after giving Lily a greeting hug, smiled to Amelia and winked. He mouthed 'Told you'. Amelia's smile widened. She buried her face in Lily's fur to hide the blush that accompanied it.

* * *

><p>'Here, have some Coco,' Arthur said, handing Amelia a mug of the hot drink.<p>

Amelia accepted it, thanking him.

Arthur sat down beside her. They were nestled in front of the television in their pyjamas and slippers. After bringing Lily back to the barn, drying her off and making sure the lock was secure, the pair returned to the warm house. It was only then did Amelia realise how cold she was. With the worry of Lily overriding her mind, her senses seemed to have shut down. Reaching the warm embrace of home, Amelia and Arthur discarded the wet jackets to the radiator and each had a shower. Amelia showed Arthur to the guest bathroom, and she was relieved when the water of her en-suit shower hit her skin. This falling water was more comforting.

'How are you feeling?' Arthur asked.

'I'm fine,' Amelia replied. She sipped her Coco. 'Thank you… Thank you for everything. I'm sure you think you're being underpaid after today.'

She had meant it as a joke, but Arthur didn't laugh. She looked up to him. He looked back to her. '…I'm not getting paid.'

The young American's eyes widened. 'Wh-'

'Amelia,' he said softly. 'I am your friend. I wish to look after you… but not as a formal babysitter. We are friends.'

'Is… is that why you are more comfortable with hugging me?' she asked.

Arthur seemed slightly startled by this question. He set his mug on the coffee table and shuffled closer to her. He laughed softly. 'I guess so.'

He hugged her gently. Amelia was sorry she couldn't hug back because she was holding her mug. 'A-ah…! Wait!'

He broke away. 'Hhm?'

She set her mug on the coffee table and snuggled into him. 'Now can you hug me?'

Arthur chuckled. His arms wrapped around her and she rested her arm over his chest, feeling it rise and fall with each breath. She felt his chin rest on the top of her head. Amelia was happy. She was happy Arthur saw the two of them this way. There was a hurdle that had been jumped, she thought.

Amelia sighed in content.

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading! I'll have the next chapter up as soon as possible! I feel like that's all I say… I should write something interesting here… Ugh… Um… I have nothing… Lord, I suck… .<strong>

**See you soon! Please review! **


	8. Autumn 3: Halloween

**I am so, so sorry for the delay. There was a major disruption to my usual routine, and I would sit here and use bad words to explain myself, but I'll just let you get on with reading. I am so sorry. I'm not even 100% sure about this chapter. I'd also like to apologise for the mistakes in the previous chapter and for any there probably will be in this chapter. **

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><p>Amelia stared at her costume with wide, happy blue eyes. She suppressed a giggle and tied her hair back. The cool wind called outside as it hit the house. Halloween was around the corner, and Amelia had a vampire costume hanging on her wardrobe door ready for the party she was attending. It was a school-organised party, and was considered the best one of the year. The Easter and Christmas parties were not as good in comparison, simply because the pupils could not pull pranks in the latter two. During the Halloween party, it was not uncommon for the older students to sabotage something or scare each other witless. It was a time of excitement and laughter.<p>

Her costume was composed of a long dark coloured cape which shone a dull pink when the light captured it. There was a dress with frills on the sleeves; it had a Victorian flavour to it. The shoes were old-fashioned, with sliver buckles and modest heels. There were tights torn purposely for effect. Her hair was to be clipped back in an old-fashioned style with black, bat-decorated clips. Of course, there were fake pointed teeth to finish it all off. Amelia liked dressing up, and Halloween was naturally the best time to do so.

Making her way down the stairs, Amelia noticed the evening seemed to have engulfed the world sooner than the day before. Daylight hours were rare things, and what could be considered daylight was typically filled with dull clouds and threats of bad weather. The cold air accompanying the dark skies really cried out to anyone who had not yet noticed that it was autumn.

'Hey, sweetie,' Mrs Jones said cheerfully. She patted her daughter on the top of the head. 'All set for tonight?'

'Yup,' Amelia replied. 'Hey, mom?'

'Hhm? Yes, sweetie?'

'I don't suppose you'd know what Arthur's afraid of.' Amelia scratched the back of her head.

Her mother simply laughed. 'Oh, sweetie. Now why would you want to know that?'

Amelia cleared her throat. 'N-no reason…'

'Honey, if you go around scaring people, they'll come to fear _you_.'

Amelia snorted. 'Whoa… That's slightly profound, mom.'

Her mother laughed heartily. As she made her way up the stairs, she called back, 'When Arthur comes tonight to take you to this party, remember that he's doing you a favour. Not only is he taking you, but he's staying with you.'

Amelia smirked and glanced at herself in the mirror. 'Yeah…'

* * *

><p>Arthur called at the Jones' household when the night was in full swing. The air was crisp and clusters of stars glittered in the sky. The Englishman had amused both Amelia and her parents by arriving as a vampire. He wore a dark blue suit that appeared to be ripped straight from the 18th Century. His hair was sleeked back, adding to the effect. His green eyes seemed to shine brighter when his hair was out of his eyes, and his eyebrows were even more prominent. Of course, he had fake fangs.<p>

Amelia had giggled upon seeing him and he had returned it with a chuckle.

'I never thought of asking what you were dressing up as, Amelia,' Arthur laughed. 'I'm sorry.'

'Hey dude! No worries! We can be a deadly duo feared because we terrorise the citizens by drinking their blood!' Amelia emphasised her words by raising her arms in a dramatic fashion.

Arthur laughed. 'You do look scary as well as pretty.'

The American blushed and made a small attempt at hiding behind the exaggerated collar of her cape.

Both the 'vampires'' fangs were attached only to the canine teeth instead of being an entire row of plastic teeth, so they could talk freely and without mumbling their words. It also looked more authentic and plausible.

'Well, shall we get going?' Arthur asked. 'I'm sure you're eager to get to the party.'

Amelia nodded. 'Sure!'

'Oh, Amelia!' Mr Jones said. His voice was naturally booming. 'Your cousin called just there now. He's decided to go as a clown. What a wuss, I would have gone for the werewolf. I mean, how can you think a clown is better to dress up as than a werewolf? Not even a scary, demented clown – an ordinary clown.'

Amelia laughed. Her cousin always had a quirky personality, and Amelia wasn't completely surprised that he decided to go as something more timid-looking. There were bound to be only few clowns. That made him different – just how he liked it.

Just then, Amelia noticed something. Arthur seemed to have withdrawn somewhat. He was looking away as if he felt out of place, or nervous. She narrowed her eyes in concern and touched his arm gently. He looked to her and gained more composure. It was evident to the young American that Arthur had to summon a bout of strength to return to his original state. He cleared his throat. Then something seemed to light up in Amelia's head.

'Well, shall we get going?' Arthur asked again. He smiled to Amelia and they made their way to his car. The warm air inside was a welcome change to the air exposed to the rest of the elements outside.

'Take care!' Amelia's mother called.

As they drove away, Amelia sighed loudly. She stretched her arms and rested them behind her head.

'Are you all right?' Arthur asked.

'Huh? Oh, yeah dude! I'm fine! Hey, thanks for coming with me tonight. The Great Hall of the school is sweet! It'll be fun!'

Arthur nodded. 'Not at all. I'm also looking forward to it. It's been a while since I've gone out to a party.'

'The older ones will probably be asses, so just a heads up. They'll have brought their friends from outside, too.'

Arthur chuckled. 'You mean like how you're bringing me?'

She blushed. 'Yeah…'

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><p>When Amelia and Arthur entered the Great Hall, the excited chatter of friends in groups and the tunes of music filled the air so thickly one could almost see the sound. Amelia stepped closer to Arthur, allowing their arms to brush. There were pumpkins decorating the buffet tables and fake skeletons and spider webs decorating the walls. The room was lit by low orangey lights.<p>

'Later,' Amelia said, 'the lights turn off completely so that you can hardly see anything and there is a brief 'dance in the dark' session.'

'That sounds dangerous,' Arthur said.

Amelia laughed and guided him to the buffet table, where she helped herself. Arthur stood beside her, staring at the surroundings. The music played and the people danced.

'Say, where are the teachers?' Arthur asked.

With an amused breath, Amelia replied, 'They're all in costume, too. It's difficult to pick them out. I suppose it's good to avoid any troublemaking.'

The Englishman nodded.

Some of Amelia's friends approached them and enthusiastically greeted her and Arthur. The girls were particularly enthusiastic about meeting Arthur, who responded with awkward and somewhat shy greetings. Amelia smiled at him.

While he was talking to some of her friends, Amelia whispered to Jason (who was dressed as a demon), 'Hey, is there anyone who's dressed like a, I dunno, demented clown or something?'

Jason sniggered. 'Not that I've seen. Why?

'I wanted to scare the crap outta Arthur.' Amelia glanced around, trying to spot what she was looking for. She took a glance to the Englishman, who appeared oblivious to the girls' interests. 'Well, whatever.'

'Girl, I'm going to the buffet table. I'm starved,' Jason said. 'Good luck on finding that clown mask.'

Amelia grunted in reply, and blew a loose strand of hair from her eyes. She decided not to pursue the clown idea unless the opportunity stood directly in front of her.

Arthur stepped beside her and pinched the collar of Amelia's cloak. 'Want to dance?'

Amelia looked to him, her heart fluttering like a startled insect's wings. 'S-sure…'

They made their way to the dance floor and moved to the tunes. Usually, they simply danced close together, but at other times they would move to the sides to get a drink or food. During one song, Arthur allowed Amelia to stand on his feet while he moved to the music. Other girls spotted her doing this and decided to mimic the action with their friends or boyfriends.

The music continued, and after about an hour, the lights went off. The floor screamed, but soon people began to laugh and continue dancing. Only silhouettes and the coloured lights around the DJ could be seen. Amelia grabbed Arthur's arm to keep him close.

She just managed to hear him say, 'My, this must be a health hazard.'

Amelia laughed.

People moved around her. Amelia was bumped into by several figures. The darkness was slightly disorientating.

Amelia felt Arthur's arm slip away from her grip, and she twirled around in one, frenzied motion. Even his silhouette escaped her vision. She called out, but her voice was drowned out by the music and cheers of the people around her. Amelia calmed herself down and assured herself that she would find him when the lights came back on.

There was a touch to her arm. Amelia squeaked, and her name was whispered in her ear. She could make it out. She squeaked in a half-response. Words became strangled in her throat. The voice didn't sound familiar, but it also sounded as though it was forced. As though they were altering it on purpose. She felt a soft touch to her face. What felt like fingertips moved slowly over her skin and traced the shape of her lips. She blushed.

Then, something pressed against her lips. In a couple of shocked seconds, Amelia realised someone was kissing her. A soft touch that did not beg for more. A gentle, affectionate touch. Amelia's heart fluttered and her face heated.

It ended as soon as it happened, and the presence close to her moved away. She caught sight of a silhouette moving away from her, but another person swayed in front of her. Amelia squeaked again, reaching out. She did not know what she was reaching out for, but her mind felt rather disorientated – as though it was no longer inside her head.

Then the lights came on. Everyone laughed and cheered. Some were clinging to each other with excited expressions, and some people had taken the cloaking darkness as an opportunity to engage in a making out session. Amelia blinked a couple of times to adjust to the new light. Arthur was not beside her. After a scan of the people and space around her, she spotted the Englishman. He was standing, looking somewhat lost. When their eyes met, they moved together. Amelia clung to his sleeve as though he was her only means of physical support.

'Amelia,' he greeted. 'My, that was a strange thing.'

Amelia could only smile weakly. She thought about who may have kissed her. Nobody she knew was near her, and the voice itself didn't sound like any of her friends. Then again, it didn't sound like a natural voice. Amelia clutched Arthur's sleeve tighter.

'What's wrong?' he asked gently. The music flooded the room, so his voice seemed somewhat distant. 'Amelia, are you all right?'

'Uh… Y-yeah…' Amelia muttered. She spotted Jason and her other friends standing by the food table. They were joking and laughing, completely at ease.

'You don't sound all right,' Arthur said. He placed his hand on Amelia's forehead. She blushed and cleared her throat.

'Uh… I… I just think I need a little fresh air…'

'Ah, sure. Let me come with you.'

'Thanks, dude.'

* * *

><p>Outside, Amelia received the relief of a cool breeze. In her vampire costume, she was even hotter than she would have normally been. She took deep, slow breaths, allowing the autumn air to flood and relieve her lungs.<p>

'Amelia,' Arthur said softly. 'Did something happen?'

'Huh?'

'You seem… I don't know…' Arthur leaned down to be closer. He placed his hand gently on top of her head. His green eyes were soft, filled with a tender concern, '…surprised.'

Amelia sighed quietly to herself and took a glimpse of the little stars beginning to appear. 'Somebody kissed me when the lights went out.'

Arthur was silent for a few seconds. 'Do you know who?'

'No.'

'I see…' His hand was still resting on top of her head, so he removed it. His fingers moved through the few loose strands of Amelia's hair not held back by the clips. '…Perhaps it was one of your friends… Ah, Jason, perhaps?'

'No,' Amelia said instantly. 'I know it wasn't him. One thing, that most definitely was not his voice that whispered to me, and another thing, he was on the other side of the dance floor.'

Arthur was silent for a few more seconds. He seemed to be in a shallow pool of thought. His eyes were still focused on Amelia, but it was obvious he was thinking. He opened his mouth, words not instantly coming out. Eventually, he said, 'Perhaps you have a secret admirer.'

Amelia felt herself smile. It evolved into a laugh. 'That would be strange.'

'Now, Amelia,' Arthur said. 'Why would you not have a secret admirer?'

Her blush grew. 'Dude… Why wouldn't the guy just tell me? I won't bite.'

'Even males get nervous,' Arthur said. He chuckled.

Amelia looked to her friend, who was staring to the black sky. His breath was white with the cold, and his green eyes looked almost as though they were glowing. She was infatuated, and found herself touching her lips with the tips of her fingers. She made a small noise.

'Hey, shall we go back in?' Arthur suggested.

Amelia smiled and nodded. 'Yeah, I'm getting cold out here. Thanks, Arthur.'

'No problem.' Arthur smiled to her, and moved his hand over her arm. 'Let's dance together again, shall we?'

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><p><strong>Again, I apologise for the lateness of this update. I had hoped to have posted it by Halloween since it is a Halloween story, but alas, I had too much crap to do. I'm not even 100% sure about this chapter. I'm sorry, guys… I hope to have the next update… Well, hopefully soon. Thanks much!<strong>


	9. Autumn 4: Birthday Girl

**I'm so sorry for the delay. I have had no time recently, with work and Uni. I do hope you'll forgive me and I wish this chapter was better because of the wait. So sorry, guys…**

**Anyway… Here's Chapter 9! Please review! Thank you so much!**

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><p>Amelia's birthday was approaching. She got out of bed and turned a sleepy eye towards the calendar, seeing it was only a week away. The wind was getting colder, and that always panged the memories of previous birthdays in Amelia's heart. Her tenth birthday was particularly memorable simply because there was a bouncy castle and everyone was sick afterwards due to having eaten too much beforehand. It was entertainingly horrific, and the young girl had a great time.<p>

Her hopes for her sixteenth birthday weren't as exciting and ambitious as most her age – Amelia simply wanted a few material things she had been waiting patiently for and a good spread. She wasn't begging her mother for a party simply because she didn't feel like having one. By a party, Amelia meant something in which half the school was invited to. Her mother would organise a get-together for family and a few friends. That's all that sort of thing was to Amelia – a get-together. Nothing big or fancy. Contrary to what a lot of her classmates and peers believed, Amelia wasn't overly keen on being involved in parties. Yes, she was rather loud and hyperactive when included, but she couldn't deny the simple pleasure of being surrounded by people she truly cared about.

She put on her school uniform and made her way down the stairs of the silent house. Her father had left an hour or so ago, and her mother was probably having breakfast in the kitchen. She was, and offered Amelia some toast, which the young girl accepted.

'So, honey,' her mother said, 'I'm going to have some of the family round for your birthday. Are you sure you don't want a huge party? It is your sixteenth, after all.'

'I'm fine, mom,' Amelia replied with a full mouth. After being scolded by her mother for this, she swallowed and continued. 'Really, I'm fine with just some of the family and friends round. I don't want a big, big thing.'

'Well… If you're sure, honey.' Her mother stopped, but Amelia knew she had something else to say. She waited, and her mother continued. 'Would you like Arthur to be there?'

Amelia immediately looked out the window. 'I…I don't mind.'

'I was thinking of inviting his mother and father around,' Mrs Jones said, taking a sip of coffee. 'I'm sure you would like to have Arthur round, would you not?'

Amelia nodded, still staring out to the near-winter world. 'Sure.'

Her mother chuckled and Amelia resisted the urge to respond.

* * *

><p>Amelia walked through the autumn-coloured streets. The last of the leaves occasionally detached from the trees on the sidewalk and fell gracefully to the ground with a near-silent tick. She took a refreshing breath, feeling the near-winter air cool her insides. She was window shopping, spotting things she was hoping to receive for her birthday, and new things she decided she was going to request for Christmas.<p>

Snuggling her chin into her scarf, Amelia thought of her upcoming party. There was an element inside of her not willing to go through with it. Lethargic elements wrapped around her heart at the very idea of a party.

She entered a little antique shop, admiring the unique tea sets and little oddities. The woman behind the counter nodded a greeting to Amelia, who returned it with a bright smile.

The young American spotted something. It was a little tea set that had evidently seen history, but was well kept. She took one of the cups in her hand and examined it carefully, as if her gaze alone could crack the ceramic. It had an intricate pattern decorating the white. If one looked closely enough, a swarm of tiny butterflies could be seen. Amelia found it charming. She kept it in her hands.

'Oh? Is this a present for someone?' the lady asked, wrapping the tea set in layers of tissue paper. Her smile was professional and friendly.

Amelia blushed. 'Yeah, it's for a friend. His birthday's coming up and I think he'll like it.'

His birthday wasn't for another month and a bit, but the immediacy that called to Amelia was nearly overwhelming. She took in a breath, tasting the dust floating in the air.

'My, how thoughtful,' the lady returned. 'He must be special.'

The tea set wasn't the cheapest thing Amelia had ever bought, but she had never felt better about parting with her pocket money. 'He is.'

* * *

><p>The cool night was a mere whisper outside. Amelia stared out with a level of apprehension. Though it was only late afternoon, the light had disappeared and the wind was raging. She wondered if everyone would make it. Her family was there, she could hear the group laughter from the front room.<p>

A car pulled up outside the house. The lights revealed the cobble driveway and trees embracing it. It was Jason and Eliza. They lived beside each other, so took the same lift. With a happy step, Amelia greeted her friends. They hugged and cheered, soon focusing their attention on the buffet table in the kitchen.

'So, how does it feel to be sixteen, Ami?' Eliza asked happily. She loved calling the younger Amelia by her nickname.

'I don't feel any different,' Amelia replied with a grin full of sweets. 'Just the same.'

'Kids! Don't fill up on crap!' Mrs Jones called. 'Eat some meat and vegetables…! You're all still growing!'

Her cheerful voice erased any scolding, but the laughing friends took up the offer.

More friends arrived, and the laughter increased. The house seemed smaller, but little did it matter.

Then Arthur and his parents arrived.

'Hello, Amelia!' Mrs Kirkland said happily, handing the young girl a neatly wrapped present. 'Happy birthday, sweetheart!'

'Thank you!'

Arthur's parents joined Amelia's family in the front room, leaving the younger ones to entertain themselves. The adults were happy to be separated from the noise.

'Hey, Amelia,' Arthur said quietly. 'Happy birthday.'

Amelia smiled to him, her eyes briefly filled with heaviness, though she could not determine the origin. They shared a tender hug.

'I'm so happy you came,' she whispered. The skin of their cheeks touched. She took in his scent. _Oh, God._

'O-oh! Who's this? He's so cute!' Amelia's girlfriends skipped over to the Englishman, whose face fell into a stupor. As the girls crowded round him, he gained a crooked smile. He wasn't sure what was going on.

Amelia found it cute. She decided to leave him in the situation.

* * *

><p>Opening presents was a self-conscious thing for Amelia, but excitement kept her going. Sitting in the very exposed middle of a circle, Amelia felt as though she was back in the big world of Kindergarten. In the middle of a circle, Amelia remembered the eyes looking at her. They both excited and frightened her. A jumping excitement with a skip of anxiety.<p>

She opened the presents, and while she unwrapped the fourth – a pair of cute slippers decorated with the American flag from Eliza – she saw Arthur still surrounded by her female friends. There was a small pang in her heart. She felt her smile falter for a split second. She met Arthur's eyes.

'Oh! Is that Arthur's present?' Lisa said in her naturally high-pitched voice. She had been the clingiest to Arthur throughout the night. While Amelia liked Lisa very much, she could be too candid at times. This was not unlike the American herself, but Lisa's type of candid was more flirtatious.

Amelia took a little present wrapped in blue paper. Indeed, the label read: _To Amelia. Happy Birthday. Love, Arthur. _

She took great care in unwrapping it, and her heart fluttered upon seeing the present. It consisted of a new brush for Lily, consisting of a light, polished wood and soft blue bristles, and a new pair of gloves shaped like little panda bears.

'Oh, Arthur,' Amelia said in a choked voice. 'Thank you so much…'

'It's no problem. I'm glad you're happy,' he replied with his typical, charming smile. He was holding chocolate in his hand – orange flavoured chocolate. Before he took a bite, he said gently, 'Happy birthday.'

Some of Amelia's friends huddled closer together, swooned.

* * *

><p>Amelia smoothed out her party dress and sat down, feeling exhausted. She blew a strand of hair from her eyes. With the guests gone, the house suddenly seemed lifeless. She could almost hear the lights as they emitted the gentle orange glow.<p>

Arthur came into the room. His top buttons were undone and his tie was thoroughly loosened. He smiled with a breath at the young American before sitting down beside her.

'Where is everyone?' Amelia asked.

'They're in the kitchen.' Arthur yawned loudly, and then excused himself with a self-conscious chirp.

Amelia giggled, which was stifled by her own yawn. 'Hey, thank you for coming. I really appreciate it.'

'It's your birthday, why wouldn't I come?' Arthur leaned over. His slackened shirt drooped lower.

Amelia remained silent. The ticking of the wall clock became like a heartbeat of the house. She felt colour rise to her cheeks as she caught sight of the skin peeking from under his shirt. She moved slowly, suddenly feeling the heat of the leather sofa under her.

'Amelia? Are you all right?' Arthur's voice didn't cut through the silence, but rather floated through it and into Amelia's ears.

She jumped a little. 'Oh, yeah.'

'Are you sure? You look a little warm,' Arthur said softly. He placed a hand on her forehead. 'You feel warm.'

'I-I'm fine,' Amelia replied. 'Really, dude…'

He made a small grunt in his throat, which caused a flutter in Amelia's stomach. She moved again. Her dress suddenly felt heavy. She tugged at the collar. She heard the collective sound of distant but evidently hearty laughter from the kitchen.

Amelia noticed Arthur had moved closer. She looked to him. His eyes were dull and his features were soft. His lips were parted.

'It's warm – the room,' Amelia said. Her throat was numb, nearly too numb to produce sound. 'It's just… quite warm in here…'

'Hhm…' Arthur made another noise. He leaned in closer, and Amelia could almost feel his breath on her skin. The scent of the orange chocolate he had eaten earlier touched Amelia's nose. She parted her own lips.

A door opened somewhere in the house, but the sound echoed coarsely through the house walls. Amelia yelped and Arthur leaned back. He smiled and closed his eyes.

'Hey guys!' Amelia's mother called happily as soon as the crowd of relatives entered the room. They were pulling the tail end of a joke with them, as giggles and sniggers followed them like a string.

'Hey, mom,' Amelia responded. She tried to summon enthusiasm beyond the shock. 'Having fun, guys?'

Arthur's mother laughed in a charming way. 'It's nice to sit around the table and share grown up jokes and chat!'

'Mother, Amelia and I don't want to know what you were talking about…!' Arthur laughed.

Amelia breathed slowly and quietly. She looked to him and smiled. She began to long for something. She felt her chest tighten.

'Well, we're heading home now, Arthur,' The Englishman's father said.

Arthur nodded in acknowledgement. 'Right, I'm coming.'

The parents left the room, their chatter fading with them. Arthur stretched. 'Well, it's been a fun night!'

'Yeah,' Amelia agreed. 'I had a lot of fun.'

As the pair got up, Amelia took Arthur's sleeve gently between her index finger and her thumb. 'Hey, it's Christmas soon.'

Arthur chuckled. 'Yeah, it's close. How does it feel, having your birthday so close to Christmas?'

She shrugged with a small smile. 'It's never really bothered me. It's kinda fun…'

'It's the same for me. I like the extra excitement of the season.' Arthur said quietly. He moved his hand to tussle Amelia's hair. 'I'll see you soon. At a Christmas party, perhaps.'

'Yeah. Can't wait.'

* * *

><p><strong>God, I hope I get the time to post another chapter up before Christmas. Sorry again for that hellish delay. I hated not having the time to write, since I love it so much. See you soon! ^_^<strong>


	10. Winter 1: Christmas

**This will be a very short chapter especially for Christmas. I hope you enjoy it! ^_^ **

'The tree's not too big?'

'Of course not! Is there such a thing, mom?'

The mother and daughter laughed, fixing the sweet-smelling tree into its place. The fir stood like a proud statue, marking the season and filling the room – and house – with a joy only arriving once a year. Amelia smiled widely, taking in the scent. She began to unpack the decorations, her eyes sparkling like the baubles in the box.

'It's so nice to get a real tree. It's so much more Christmassy!' Amelia's mother laughed, admiring the decoration.

'Yeah!'

The mother-daughter team began to dress the tree, making sure to evenly cover the green with glistening decorations. The star sat on the carpet, waiting to be placed on top to look down like the celestial metaphor in the original tale.

'There!' Amelia said with a happy tone of completion. She fixed the star on top, admiring her work. 'All done!'

'Brilliant!'

The Christmas symbol stood, ready to host the season.

o.0.o

The time passed, and the time approached when the Jones' hosted a Christmas party. It was more of a business party, so Amelia never accompanied her parents. She always stayed at home with a babysitter. This year, her babysitter was also her friend.

Arthur's parents were also at the so-called party at a restaurant in town, so he would have been home alone. They were more than happy to share each other's' company, and it was Christmas Eve, which added another sparkle of happiness.

'So, all prepared for Christmas, dude?' she asked, jumping on the sofa with gusto.

Arthur laughed and nodded. 'Yes. Very much so. How about you?'

Amelia giggled. 'Yeah. It's Christmas Eve night, dude! You'd be a fool not to be prepared by now, right?'

'That's true.'

The fire crackled as if joining the talk.

'I hate it when my parents hold a Christmas dinner with business clients. It's not really a Christmas dinner, is it?' Amelia asked. She tucked her legs against her chest. 'Business is always there.'

Arthur moved closer and hugged Amelia, slightly startling her. He pulled her gently to him, cuddling her. 'Sweetie, don't be upset.'

His scent filled her, and she shuddered before clutching him. She mumbled something incoherent even to her.

'I'm not upset,' she said with a smile. 'It's just that I hope they don't push themselves too far. I worry about them, you know. They get so serious about business. Don't you feel the same about your parents?'

'Hm? Oh, I don't worry. They're doing what they love,' Arthur replied, keeping Amelia in a loose hug. His arms were full of a protecting aura.

'Yeah… I guess that's true. The guys do like their work…'

The fire crackled again. Arthur got up and added another log to it. Amelia watched, and smiled at his reddened cheeks.

'Would you like some coco?'

'Yeah.'

o.0.o

The night settled in, the stillness outside disappearing from sight. Amelia and Arthur stood against the kitchen counter sipping their coco and staring at a near-silent television screen displaying a Christmas special of a show. Amelia smiled at the screen, enjoying the show.

Arthur moved away and reached for his bag. He opened it and shuffled for a few moments before pulling out a shape wrapped in seasonal paper – covered with snowmen and Santa hats. Amelia gasped as he handed it to her.

'Merry Christmas, Amelia,' he said gently.

'A-Arthur…! You didn't have to…!' She paused and smirked at him before scooting out of the kitchen and up to her room, where she opened the wardrobe and retrieved her present to Arthur. She dashed back down the stairs to face a confused Arthur, who hadn't quite grasped her movements. 'Merry Christmas, buddy!'

They exchanged gifts, and opened them with fumbled movements combining a sugar rush and excitement.

Arthur's present to Amelia was a selection of festive chocolates and pair of earphones Amelia had nonchalantly pointed out to Arthur in a magazine once – 'I'll bet those are really great!'

Amelia's present to Arthur was a facecloth with the Union Jack decorating it (she had an impulse to buy it for him since it reminded her of him so much) accompanied by a diary. She knew he liked them for keeping track of things.

A hug soon accompanied as another present to each other.

o.0.o

Lily skipped around the two as they fed and watered her. She was excited as if she knew of the event occurring in mere hours. Her tail wagged as though it possessed a life of its own as Arthur groomed her. Lily's eyes were as wide and full of life as happy fireflies.

'Girl, what's gotten into you?' Amelia asked with a laugh.

'She's so excited,' Arthur said, stroking her behind her ears. 'She likes Christmas, evidently.'

As they said their goodbyes to the foal and closed the barn door, Amelia looked up to the frame. Her heart skipped a beat.

'Hhm? Amelia, are you Ok?' Arthur asked. His voice trailed slightly as he too looked up.

There was mistletoe hanging perfectly from the framework above their heads. Its white berries reflected the silver of the half-moon in the black sky. The leaves were vibrant and green. It appeared to be waiting expectantly.

'Oh,' Arthur said. His words generated a white fog that rose and disappeared into the cool air. 'How very nice.'

Amelia's own breath was white and rose with his. She closed her mouth and blushed against the cold. She tucked her chin into her scarf. She took a step away. He took her arm.

'Don't you know the tradition?' he asked gently. His green eyes sparkled.

'Sure I do… But you don't have to if…'

Vocabulary evaded her as Arthur cupped her cheeks in his hands. He was not wearing gloves, so his skin touched hers. She shuddered.

He leaned in closer. 'Do you not want…?'

'N-No…! I mean… Yeah…! It's…'

Their lips touched so gently. Amelia wasn't sure if her lips were numb, because she could barely feel anything.

Then he applied more pressure, and she was at last sure she had not gone numb. His lips captured her bottom lip, then her top. Small and wet movements against her mouth were made, and she felt the muscles in her legs begin to fail. She clutched Arthur's jacket, making a small noise.

He broke away and nuzzled her. 'Amelia… I-I hope you don't think this too forward of me-'

She kissed him softly and shyly. 'Arthur… Please…'

They kissed again, Arthur being slightly more confident in touching her with his hands. He moved them to rest on her sides before sliding them round her waist. He hugged her as he kissed her.

'Happy Christmas…' he whispered in her ear. 'I really do like you so much, you hyper girl…'

Amelia smiled with a blush, burying her face in Arthur's jacket.

It began to snow.

**Happy Christmas, everyone! I love all my readers and reviewers! Thank you! **

**This chapter was short on purpose because there was really only one thing I wanted to portray. I'm sure you can guess what that was. Merry, merry Christmas!**


	11. End Note

**A note to the fans of this story. I have updated indeed… But as a sequel. I apologise for the immense delay and I have explained that (somewhat) in the next story if you are interested.**

**Please forgive this silly Treecko Girl.**

**X**


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